THE ultimate delight most indulged to find relaxation and relief from physical stress is a good massage. Not many know about the great benefits of a massage especially for athletes who should include it in their regimen.
Sports Massage as it is called is an important element in most professional training programs. Most elite teams or sports person, coaches and trainers to include sports doctors acknowledges the importance of massage to an athlete’s training, development and recovery in some occasions.
We see professional athletes like in the National Basketball Association or NBA being treated to a quick massage in the sideline after being substituted. Those are not just some guys called for a quick massage, those are physical therapists professionally trained to cater to sports massage needs. They are therapists assigned to their team.
Other sports disciplines are already including a professional therapist or a sports doctor in their roster. Not just to fill in positions but as an integral part to make sure their athletes are in tiptop shape.
According to a sports medicine doctor, sports massage, if done properly does not only prevent injury but also boosts the athletes’ performance. To understand it better, let us say a massage before an athlete’s training or competition is an essential warm-up to get him ready for the activity as well as a good cool down to help the athlete relax and ease muscle tensions to augment its recovery while going to rest.
Sports massage is beneficial not only to a person’s muscles but also to the following as identified by National Center for Biotechnology Information: reduces heart rate, lowers blood pressure, reduces recovery time after an injury, rehabs an injury, lowers anxiety, improves mood, increases blood flow throughout the body, bringing vital oxygen and nutrients all over, relieves muscle pain and tension, improves connective tissue healing, which promotes muscle elasticity, stabilizes cortisol levels (a stress hormone, similar to adrenaline), improves muscle flexibility, which reduces and prevents injury.
Right education on how to boost an athlete’s performance and augment his recovery is the only way to see and appreciate the importance of having a Sports Doctor or Sports Therapist who is knowledgeable about sports massage to be included in their respective roster worthy for the extra salary cap.