An athlete’s body is their most valuable tool. Whether they’re sprinters, marathoners, out on the track or traversing the field, they need their body to be up for the next challenge ahead. Whether you’re a long-time athlete or just getting started with your training regimen, there are things you can be doing outside of your workouts or practices to make sure your body is ready for the next pulse-pounding event.
When you adhere to a routine, whether it is regular strength training or cardio workouts, it’s important to let your muscles and joints rest and repair in between sessions. To help aid in times of recovery, sports massage can play a beneficial role you might not have considered before. The Certified Massage Therapists at Advanced Medical of Twin Cities know exactly how to assist you when you crave the right recovery for hardworking muscles. Whether you need a quick sports massage to prep for your next big competition or you simply need a something extra to aid in recovery, check out how different sports massage techniques can help you.
We Understand How to Help You Best
When you come through our doors, we never apply one-size-fits-all techniques. We take the time to get to know you, hear your needs and goals, and assess what the best course of action is. Our team approach ensures you’ll be getting the care you need no matter what your concerns are. We want to see you get back to what you love doing most, so getting your body back up and moving is our number one priority.
Our massage therapists are experts in their field and know the vast number of benefits sports massage can have on the whole body. Overall, massage therapy can lower body stress, reduce muscle spasms, improve circulation, calm your nervous system, reduce pain and even increase energy levels. You’ll leave our clinic feeling rejuvenated and ready to take on the next set of reps, lap around the track or throw of the ball.
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Restore Mobility
No matter the sport, your mobility and range of motion need to be operating on all cylinders. When those factors are compromised, you won’t be able to throw as far or leap as high. Sports massage can dramatically improve your range of motion, especially when performed on major muscle areas. A study published by the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that a massage as short as 30 seconds provided a “7.2% increase in hip flexion range of motion.”
Imagine the benefits to be reaped when you seek sports massage therapy regularly—every 1 to 2 weeks. You may be able to sit deeper in your squats or even perfect your form while you swim. Enhanced mobility is crucial to advancement in many sports or activities, and if your muscles are tight around joints, you may not be experiencing the range of motion you crave. Regular massage can alleviate muscles, loosen tightness and restore mobility.
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Prevent Injury
When you train, your muscles need time to relax and repair themselves. If you exercise heavily and practice often, your muscles may lose their capacity to relax. When hardworking muscles aren’t given the time to recover, they can become tight, causing you to lose flexibility. Not only can the sheer loss of flexibility cause injury, but so too can the increased risk of muscle pulls and tears. Through sports massage, your muscles can experience relief from chronic soreness, stiffness and inflexibility.
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Reduce Recovery Time
Sports massage does a lot you might not even be able to feel directly. Regular massages on deep tissue or trigger points can improve blood flow through your muscles, which maximizes the supply of nutrients and oxygen available to those muscle groups. These benefits in conjunction with improved lymph circulation add up to quicker rebuilding of muscles and tissues.
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Improve Endurance
It’s been found that “massage following an intense workout actually causes muscles to enlarge and grow new mitochondria.” Since mitochondria are essentially the powerhouses of our cells that are responsible for converting nutrients into useful energy, it only makes sense that more mitochondria means more useful energy—and energy is everything for an athlete. Muscles with increased mitochondria utilize oxygen at a higher rate than normal, leading to amped up endurance so you can keep going well past the final whistle.
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Feel Great!
What isn’t there to love about a good massage? “Getting massaged causes muscles to unclench, a racing heart to slow, heightened blood pressure to fall, and levels of stress hormone cortisol to drop.” When all of these benefits swarm you at once, you’re more apt to let go of the stress on your shoulders, regroup, recharge, and face the day feeling refreshed. Go into your next workout with a renewed outlook and clear mind, which will undoubtedly help you up your game.
Regular Sports Massage Could Up Your Game and so Much More
Regular sports massage could have you reaping priceless benefits that may push your game to the next level. From increased range of motion to injury avoidance and even sheer happiness, what isn’t there to love about massage? Even if you choose to seek the occasional athletic massage that’s deep tissue or meant to target flared trigger points, you could experience welcome relief of muscle soreness or tightness.
If you’re an athlete interested in seeing what our massage therapists can do for you and your sport, get in touch with Advanced Medical of Twin Cities. By listening to what your athletic goals are and taking into consideration the needs of your specific training program, we can help your body reach your aim in no time.
