Whether you’re a golf, cricket, football or tennis player, a runner, swimmer, rower or cyclist, or gym junkie, massage therapy can help you achieve and maintain peak performance. A sports massage is a medium to firm pressure massage that focuses on the deeper layers of muscle tissue to address specific areas of tension. The application of sports massage dates back to Ancient Greek and Roman times when it was used to enhance the performances and treat the injuries of athletes and warriors. Today, modern research can help to explain exactly how massage therapy can benefit your workouts in terms of both prevention and recovery.

Massage for Injury Prevention

Massage therapy is hugely helpful in preventing injury so that you can continue training, playing or competing.  Sports massage improves muscle tone and increases flexibility by breaking up the adhesions in muscles that result from intense exercise. This can prevent pulls, strains and tears. Physical therapist and Director of Sports Reaction Centre in Seattle, WA explains it like this: “works in the same way as brushing long hair rids the hair of knots. Working out the thickenings in the connective tissue of a muscle allows the muscles to expand normally when they are contracting vigorously.” In other words, when the connective tissues within the muscles are tight and stiff, injuries from overstretched muscle fibres can occur. Reversely, massaged muscles get smoothed out and stay healthy and resilient.

Massage for Recovery

It can be hard to stay motivated when a new, more difficult fitness routine makes you feel sore afterwards. Intense muscle ache and inflammation can be obstacles to recovery and training, even for the most dedicated professional athletes. Known as Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness, microscopic damages done to muscle fibres cause pain and tightness approximately 24 to 48 hours after exercise that is novel in intensity, type or duration. Cue post-workout massage! Sports massage promotes lymphatic drainage and increases blood flow to muscles, which both delivers nutrients and carries away waste products, such as lactic acid buildup. This helps muscles to relax and refuel after having been contracted and tense. Consequently, it’s no surprise that studies report massage therapy to effectively reduce local soft tissue soreness, speeding your recovery and allowing you to get back out there sooner.

 Massage Therapy at Mr Vitamins

Two of the Mr Vitamins Naturopaths are qualified Massage Therapists as well. Monica Ducrou  combines her experience of massage and bodywork with the therapeutic benefits of naturopathic treatments. Yasmin Issa  uses massage therapy as one of the pathways to restore balance and wellbeing. She combines this with herbal medicine and nutritional healing. Find out more about Yasmin here...