sports massage

TRAIN HARD, PERFORM BETTER, RECOVER FASTER

Most athletes love to get a massage. Not only does it feel great, but it can also help speed recovery, reduce muscles soreness and facilitate injury healing. There is, however, a lot of confusion when it comes to massage.
Having been a runner for many years, I had the opportunity to work with a lot of massage therapist. Not only did this experience help me identify a lot of the common questions and misconceptions about massage, but it also allowed me to test a variety of theories when it comes to the optimal timing, pressure, and massage modality.

I will share with you some of the different types of massage for athletes and explain when to effectively utilize which type. I’ll also outline when, and how often, you should schedule a massage to ensure you get maximum benefit without impacting your workouts, competitions or races.

Pre Event

In the days leading up to a competition or sports event, it is recommended that you use a systematic approach to dynamic warm-ups. And while we agree with and advocate for the proper use of both, it is more of a broadsword approach to your success as compared to the detailed focused intent of true sports massage. In the final steps of your preparation, a last once-over by skilled hands that are familiar with you and how you perform will set you up for greater success and prepare you for what is to come. Using pre-event sports massage maximizes your potential while you focus on getting your head in the game.

Post Event

Recovery begins the moment you cross the finish line or the last whistle blows. In professional sports the locker room is a whirlwind of activity as coaches, physicians, trainers and therapists alike ready themselves for the onslaught of aches and pains. You are no different, training is hard, competition is hard and regardless of whether you left it all on the field or not, you will need to get back to it as soon as you can. With post-event you will be able to recover faster while you reduce your risk to injury, muscle imbalance and over training.

Which type of massage is best for athletes?
It’s not surprising that athletes get confused about what type of massage would benefit them most. Depending on where you look, there are over 30 different types of massage identified on the internet. Of course, some of these styles are obviously not specifically beneficial to athletes, but athletes can go beyond the typical massage to get results.

How often should you get massage?
The frequency at which you get massage work done is completely up to you and depends on how much you like massage, how hard you’re training, and your budget.

If you are able to afford it, getting a monthly or weekly massage can help prevent injuries by catching tight areas before they become problematic. If it isn’t possible to fit a recurring massage into your schedule (or budget), consider getting one or two during your hardest training block or if you’re doing a lot of work, which tends to elicit injuries that can be treated by massage.

It's always recommend that athletes get a massage either the evening after a hard workout or the following morning. If the therapist is going deep, the muscles can often be sore or lethargic for a few days after a massage. Timing the massage as close to your last hard workout as possible allows your body the most amount of time to recover and feel back to normal.

If you plan on getting a massage before your next big event, schedule it at least 3 to 5 days out from the event. If it’s been a while since your last massage, make it a week to ten days. Also note that the deeper the massage, the longer it takes for the body to recover and respond.

Misconceptions and Things to Watch Out For
Keeping the above guidelines in mind, here are a few common mistakes athletes make with massage:

• Not drinking enough water. Drink lots of water after the session to help the muscles recover faster.

• Massage has to hurt. Massage doesn't have to hurt to be effective. While working on a tight, troubled area will certainly cause some discomfort, it shouldn't leave bruising or cause you to jump off the table. If you do find yourself constantly bruised after massage sessions, your therapist may be going too hard. It takes time to recover and not feel lethargic after a hard massage. If your muscles feel a little dead the next day, that’s OK, this is why it’s important to schedule at least one easy day between a hard massage and a hard workout.