Are you looking for a Sports Massage in Greenville? Read more below to see how we can help you.
Sports Massage
Sports massage has many useful benefits for athletes. Sports massage can be utilized pre-performance, post-performance, throughout training, or for rehabilitation. From elite athletes to recreational exercisers, it is a popular choice. Find out more about what it is used for and which benefits are supported by research.
What Is Sports Massage?
Sports massage is a methodical control of the soft tissues of the body that focuses on muscles involved in a particular sport. Paavo Nurmi, known as the "Flying Finn," is said to have used sports massage throughout the 1924 Olympics in Paris where he won 5 gold medals.
Several techniques are used in sports massage. Examples of these techniques consist of: Swedish massage, effleurage (stroking), petrissage (kneading), compression, friction, tapotement (rhythmic striking), vibration, moving, stretching, percussion, and trigger points. These methods and motions are used to attempt to assist the athlete's body achieve maximum performance and physical fitness with a decreased opportunity of injury or discomfort and a quicker recovery.
Benefits
Many benefits from sports massage have actually been reported based upon experience and observation. Some are beneficial to the mind (psychological) and some to the body (physiological).
Some of the reported advantages of sports massage are:
- Increased joint range of motion (ROM)
- Increased versatility
- Increased sense of well-being
- Reduced muscle tension
- Reduced neurological excitability (more relaxed nerves)
- Reduced muscle spasms
- Much better sleep
Advantages that are not supported by research studies are:
- Increased blood flow
- Increased elimination of post-workout waste products (lactic acid)
- Reduced chance of injury
- Reduced recovery time
Adverse effects
Possible adverse effects of sports massage are inflammation or stiffness for 1 to 2 days after the sports massage. A skin reaction due to the massage oils is likewise possible. But for the most part, sports massage is considered generally safe.
What the research states
Research studies relating to objective fatigue and healing showed that subjects felt they were less fatigued and felt like they recuperated faster after sports massage. Reduced anxiety, enhanced state of mind, better sleep, and enhanced sensations of wellness were likewise observed. Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) is minimized by sports massage, according to a variety of research studies.
Now for some advantages that are not supported by research study. The capability of sports massage to help the muscles get rid of lactic acid is not supported in research studies. Numerous scientists feel this is linked to the theory that sports massage does not increase blood circulation to muscles.
A 2010 study discovered that blood flow was really mechanically hindered by massage and that was a possible factor that lactic acid elimination was impaired. Faster recovery after sports massage is not yet supported by the research. Studies do support that active healing (low-intensity workout post-workout) is the very best method of decreasing the amount of lactic acid that builds up after workout and speeds healing.
What does all of this mean? It seems that the positive mental benefits of sports massage are indeed supported by research study studies. Research study findings also support that sports massage does not adversely impact performance, however, the positive body (physiological) benefits on performance are not quite as clear. More research study is required on the favorable body effects and likewise on the mind/body interaction after sports massage.
FAQ'S
How much does it cost?
A 60 minute massage is $80 and a 90 minute massage is $120. After your first visit, you can choose to join our no-contract monthly membership, buy a massage package, or visit occasionally at the non-member rate. You can find all of our rates and prices here.
What if the pressure is too deep?
Please tell your therapist immediately if the pressure is too deep (or too light). We're great massage therapists, but we haven't quite gotten the mind-reading thing down yet. You won't hurt our feelings to ask us to adjust the pressure to your liking (unless you tell us afterward, then we may cry a little.)
How often should I get a massage?
To see the maximum benefit, we recommend getting a massage at least once per month. The effects of massage are cumulative, so the more regularly you get massages, the better you'll feel overall.