 |
 |
 |
Bret Campanella, professional BodyBuilder.
SPORTSMASSAGE
Sports Massage is a form of bodywork geared toward participants in athletics. It is used to help prevent injuries, to prepare the body for athletic activity and maintain it in optimal condition, and to help athletes recover from workouts and injuries. Sports Massage has three basic forms: pre-event, post-event massage and maintenance massage.
Research & General Acceptance
Sports Massage has become an established and accepted practice. Various studies done in both the United States and Europe have shown that when properly used, massage will produce greater blood flow to the muscles and better athletic performance. The practice of sports massage is not considered controversial
Training & Certification
Accredited sports massage therapists must first complete a course in massage from a school accredited by the American Massage Therapy Association/Commission on massage training accreditation/Approval AMTA/COMTTA or their state board of education. They must then complete an additional training program approved by the AMTA National Sports Massage Certification program. Many sports massage practitioners also complete the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork.
Benefits
Sports massage is a generic term for three types of massage associated with athletic performance. Each type of massage has it’s own benefits and uses different techniques. Pre-event sports massage is done to help prevent serious athletic injury. It helps to warm up the muscles, stretching them and making them flexible for optimal athletic performance. A pre-event massage stimulates the flow of blood and nutrients to the muscles, reduces muscle tension, loosens the muscles, and produces a feeling of psychological readiness. Whenever athletes exercise heavily, their muscles suffer micro traumas. Small amounts of swelling occur in the muscle because of tiny tears. Post-event sports massage helps reduce the swelling caused by micro traumas; loosens tired, stiff muscles; helps maintain flexibility; promotes blood flow to the muscle to remove lactic acid and waste build-up; and reduces cramping. In addition, post-event massage helps speed the athlete’s recovery time and alleviates pulls, strains, and soreness. Maintenance sports massage is done at least once a week as a regular part of athletic training programs, although professional athletes who have their own massage therapists may have maintenance massage daily. Maintenance massage increases the flow of blood and nutrients to the muscles. It also keeps the tissues loose so that different layers of muscle slide easily over each other. Maintenance sports massage also helps reduce the development of scar tissue while increasing flexibility and range of motion. The goal of all sports massage is to maximize athletic performance. Athletes in different sports will concentrate the massage on different parts of the body.
Who can benefit?
Sports massage is particularly beneficial when an athlete is in training for an event. Swimmers, weight lifters, runners, golfers, ball players, skaters, dancers, tennis players, musicians, and boxers, as well as weekend athletes, have benefited from sports massage.