Get the most out of your body
According to the Canadian Sports Massage Therapists Association, sports massage can be broken down into four phases:
- Pre-Event: Massage that primes your body just before your event
- Inter-Event: Massage applied between events
- Post-Event: Massage that helps your body relax and recover after an event
- Training/Restorative: Massage integrated into your training schedule, intended to help you train harder at a higher level
Many people make the assumption that sport massage is beneficial strictly from a physical standpoint, but it also has the power to relieve mental stress and improve mood – both vital factors when it comes to sport performance.
When someone receives a sport massage, their body naturally releases endorphins, the neurotransmitters that help to decrease anxiety, relieve pain and improve a person’s overall state of well-being. Endorphins are also considered by many to be the body’s natural pain reliever.
Sports massage has also been known to prevent and relieve the common condition known as DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness Prevention). Typically occurring 12-24 hours after the exercise is performed, DOMS can be reduced or avoided altogether by stimulating blood and lymph flow throughout the body with sports massage.