Sports massage: what it is, how it is done, what it provides

Most injuries during sports are associated with poor preparation of muscles and ligaments. One of the options for their preparation is sports massage. Let's understand this procedure in more detail.

What is a sports massage

Under sports massage is understood a complex of mechanical influences on muscles, joints, as well as nerve endings. The procedure is necessary for the physical improvement of the athlete. The main goals of manipulation are recovery from injuries and increased training, and increasing the level of performance in sports activities. The process itself can be carried out in any place: in the gym, a separate office or you can even order a massage at home.

Sports massage is characterized by several positive effects:

• The risk of injury when performing basic exercises is significantly reduced.
• Blood flow is increased, due to which the load on the cardiovascular system is reduced.
• Improves the athlete's performance for a short period of time.
• Reduces the effect of lactic acid on the whole body.

Some people believe that classic massage is no different from sports massage. But the main difference between sports massage - this is a deeper workout of muscle tissues and the impact on nerve endings. All this increases the effectiveness of sports training.

There is a stereotype that massage should be carried out by a man, because he has stronger hands. In fact, this is not quite true. When performing massage is important technique, and brute force can only harm and provoke injury.

Specialists say that sports massage is suitable only for those who regularly engage in sports. It is the massage that helps to evenly distribute the load and only with constant exercise gives the best result.

Directions of sports massage

Sports massage has several directions:

• Preliminary massage should be performed before a competition or regular training. It allows you to increase the tone of ligaments, muscles, as well as to normalize the psycho-emotional state of the athlete. The spine is worked on in a mandatory manner. The task of this type of massage is to stretch the muscles as much as possible. Thanks to this, the time for warming up and preparation for physical exercises will be reduced, and also reduces the traumatism.
• Training massage is performed directly to prepare the athlete for competition. This massage can improve endurance, performance and final results. Most of all the specialist performs rubbing movements. During the procedure, lactic acid is dispersed throughout the body. Thanks to this, the athlete shows the best performance at the peak of the competition.
• Recovery massage is part of the complex rehabilitation of the athlete after a hard season. It is mandatory for complete relaxation of muscles, joints and ligaments. Massage helps to reduce pain syndrome after increased physical activity.
• Warming massage is performed if sports activities or competitions are held in conditions of low temperature. It is necessary to prevent injury. Special attention is paid to the back.

There is also a direct pre-start massage, performed before exercises. During the procedure, the blood is actively dispersed, the deepest muscle groups and nerve endings are engaged.

The subtleties of performing a sports massage

During a sports massage, classic manipulations are used: rubbing, stroking and kneading. Each muscle has a beginning and an end, so it is massaged from beginning to end. The beginning of the muscle is its place of attachment to the tissue or bone, and its end is the place of mobile attachment. There is also an order of working on the body: chest, arms, legs and only at the end the back.