Therapeutic massage is frequently used by athletes whose muscles have been overworked for an extended period of time. It aids in loosening up any tight areas and facilitates recovery, allowing you to get back on track to achieving your end goal.
If you’re an athlete, you’re well aware of the level of commitment required. Whether you’re training for a marathon, a competition, a recital, or a big game, you’ll need a lot of practice and preparation. You must train your muscles and tissues to perform in the manner that you desire, which can result in pain and soreness. This is a minor setback, but it doesn’t change the fact that it stymies your training for the time being.
If you experienced an injury from your sport, we can help. Call our office today to figure out how therapeutic massage can help you!
The job of soft tissues
Many small, thin fibers make up your muscles, which contract on command and work together to mobilize your muscle groups. Connective tissues called tendons are what attach these muscles to your bones, allowing them to move your body parts. For added stability, tougher bands of connective tissue called ligaments connect your bones. Fascia is another connective tissue that covers your ligaments. The term “soft tissues” refers to all of these connective tissues.
Soft tissues help in mobilizing your joints and giving your body the strength it needs to perform tasks. Your soft tissues provide you with the ability to do many things; however, they also limit you from pushing yourself too far – even if that’s your intention. These can be damaged by certain stresses, especially those caused by the repeated actions within the athletic activity.
For example, “tennis elbow” or “golfer’s elbow” are both colloquial terms used to describe tears in the tendons of the elbow. They got their name from the repeated swinging action that tennis players and golfer’s do, making it a common injury that they experience. A tear in the tendon such as this can lead you to a significant amount of swelling and inflammation. Many athletes also experience sprains, which are caused by a ligament stretching farther than intended.
These can happen as a result of the intensity of your sport, or simply because your muscles are too tight before you start one of your workouts. Massage therapy can help with this because it loosens up the muscles and may even prevent some of these injuries.
Therapeutic massage and getting back in the game:
Therapeutic massage can be extremely beneficial for athletes, both before and after their training process.
Your physical therapist may also recommend other types of massage to complement your physical therapy treatments, including:
- Deep tissue massage. This type of massage loosens up your muscles and their connective tissues.
- Swedish massage. This type of massage relaxes any stiff or tense muscles you may have, allowing for increased blood flow and fluid to drain from swollen areas.
- Myofascial release. This type of massage creates room for tissues that may be trapped by distortions or fascial adhesions, freeing them from constriction.
Therapeutic massage promotes tissue healing, allowing you to return to your favorite sport as soon as possible. Sports massage therapy can also be used before you start your rigorous exercise routine, focusing on the muscles and tissues that are used the most in your sport.
As stated by Harvard Health Publishing, “Therapeutic massage may relieve pain by way of several mechanisms, including relaxing painful muscles, tendons, and joints; relieving stress and anxiety; and possibly helping to “close the pain gate” by stimulating competing nerve fibers and impeding pain messages to and from the brain.”
By working to mobilize, loosen, and relax these muscles before you train, you can help them stay limber throughout the process. This will decrease your risk of strains, sprains, and ruptures.
Call our clinic today for an appointment
Your soft tissues work hard to make sure your body is functioning correctly, so it is important to help optimize their health and function. If you are a golfer or other athlete looking for physical therapy treatments, give our office a call to schedule a consultation with one of our physical therapists today!
The therapists at RedCore PT would be happy to discuss massage with you and how it will benefit your physical performance. Your sport is important to you – we want to help get you back in the game!
