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HEALTH & FITNESS
Sports Massage: Gain the Competitive Edge
By Jen Hathaway
 Photo courtesy of American Massage Therapy Association |
Until recently massage therapy had been considered a luxury reserved only for special occasions and the very wealthy. However, athletes have been benefiting from massage since ancient Greek and Roman times. Massage was thought to improve muscle condition and bring athletes to their peak performance. It was a very popular technique with athletic trainers and athletes in the early 20th century; however, it disappeared from the United States until the 1980s. At the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, massage therapists for the first time in history were included as part of the athletes' medical team.
Olympic athletes, other professional athletes and amateur sportspersons rely on sports massage as an integral part of their training program. Organizations including the Chicago Bulls, New York Yankees, New York Giants, U.S. Women's National Soccer Team, and the U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team, among others, have full-time therapists on staff. Weekend warriors and fitness participants also can take advantage of the benefits from regular sports massage therapy. Many rely on regular massage therapy to help maintain overall health and a wellness routine.
What exactly is sports massage? It combines specific massage techniques including stretching, focusing on an athlete's sport-specific needs. Sports massage can be divided into two categories: event sports massage and clinical sports massage.
Event
Sports Massage
Event treatments are short in duration usually lasting 8 to 15 minutes
in length. Before competition, it helps improve circulation, decrease
muscle tension and improve flexibility of the muscles. It also can help
calm and relax any pre-competition "jitters."
This fast-paced, invigorating massage warms the muscles and prepares them for competition. The therapist uses sliding, compression on the muscle bellys, jostling and rocking to energize the athlete. It is often depicted in movies where a trainer or coach is "hacking" on the athlete. Pre-event massage primarily focuses on the muscles involved in competition. Cyclists might want to have their legs and shoulders massaged whereas softball pitchers would receive work on their pitching arm and shoulder. It is not a replacement for proper warm-up but rather an effective complement.
Post-event sports massage is done after an athletic event or workout. The goal is to decrease muscle tension, promote relaxation, and flush out the waste products accumulated, preventing lactic acid and metabolic waste from pooling in the tissues. It is a calming and relaxing type of massage, which enhances an athlete's recovery from competition. Usually, it is done minutes after an event – as soon as an athlete has a chance to cool down. Post-event massage lasts 10 to 15 minutes in length soon after the event or 60 to 90 minutes in length when performed 4 or more hours after the event. Post-event massage techniques also help alleviate muscle cramping.
Sports massage therapists can be found working side-by-side with medical staff at events to ensure the athletes get proper medical attention as needed.
Clinical
Sports Massage
Participation in sports can be very physically and psychologically demanding
on athletes and weekend warriors of all skill levels and abilities. The
training and practice required makes the individual more susceptible to
injury. In this case, clinical sports massage is the answer. Clinical
sports massage is a very specific type of massage. Its goal is to help
the athlete recover from competition or strenuous workouts by increasing
circulation to flush out lactic acid and toxins produced during exercise,
reduce any swelling, and treat any injuries sustained. A typical session
lasts 30 to 90 minutes and focuses on the major muscle groups stressed
during activity. The therapist uses techniques including sliding movements,
kneading, compression, myofascial release and various stretching techniques.
Sports
Massage Case History & Specifics
Mike and Beth Stalker of Clifton Park are competitive runners and know
first hand the benefits of sports massage. The couple said they saw a
significant impact in their training and racing. For example, with sports
massage, their injuries didn't turn into downtime and minor aches and
pains were resolved.
The Stalkers learned AIS (active isolated stretching), which has become part of their daily training. AIS and sports massage have become more important for the couple as they increase their training distance or speed for upcoming race events –times when one is most likely to become injured, ignore the pain signals and not heal properly, they said. The AIS works to keep muscles both loose and strong.
Properly performed sports massage can help with a variety of injuries including muscle strains, ligament strains and tendonitis. Examples of these include tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis), shin splints or ankle sprains. As the body heals, it repairs an injury by laying down collagen fibers in a random "patch" formation. These "patches" can cause a weakness in the muscle by restricting movement, which may lead to re-injury.
Massage can limit scar tissue formation in injuries and make scar tissue from old injuries more pliable, allowing for increased pain-free movement. Following certain protocols, massage can offer a faster and more complete recovery from injury. The frequency of treatments is dependent upon the severity of the injury. An injured athlete initially may have two or three sports massage sessions per week, then decrease the number of visits as improvement is noted.
If you seek out a sports massage therapist, look for one with extensive training in anatomy and physiology, and kinesology. Therapists must be trained to recognize the demands various sports have on the body and follow treatment protocols accordingly. A sports massage therapist must also make the treatment individual-specific. To find a therapist in your area, you can use the American Massage Therapy Association locator service at www.amtamassage.org.
Jen Hathaway, BS, LMT is a sports massage specialist
and owner of Back In Balance Therapeutic Massage in Clifton Park. In her
spare time, she enjoys cross-country skiing, rollerblading, cycling and
softball.
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