Modern life has a hectic and active schedule, whether we’re working a desk job, working out, or taking part in sports. Our bodies are resilient, but the stresses and strains of life can eventually take a toll on us. Massage in all its forms can help with our recovery, and seeking the right help from all sorts of aches and pains including sports injuries is important to quality of life.
It is important to note that athletic and accidental injuries as well as regular everyday body aches and pains can be addressed by Registered Massage Therapists (RMTs). Everyone can benefit from different approaches; the patient just needs to communicate their exact requirements.
But why is a sports massage different from a typical massage? And which is the best option for you? To help with this grey area, we’ll look at sports massage and then contrast it with normal massage.
Sports Massage
Put simply, sports massage is a therapeutic massage created with the goal of assisting athletes and other active people in preventing and treating injuries. To increase flexibility, lessen discomfort, and hasten healing, the massage therapist manipulates the body’s soft tissues using a range of techniques.
Pre-event, post-event, and maintenance massage are the three broad categories that make up sports massage. The purpose of pre-event massage is to get the athlete’s body ready for the physical activities that follow an event, post-event massage is to aid the athlete’s body in recovering from the physical strain of the event, and maintenance massage is performed to maintain the athlete’s general physical condition on an ongoing basis between events.
Sports massage techniques can also crossover to those suffering from injuries sustained in an accident or through surgery. Again, it’s important to stress that he patient must give as much information as possible to the RMT in order for the proper treatments to be put into place.
Normal Massage
Standard massage on the other hand, are full-body treatments used to relax the muscles and increase circulation. The needs of athletes and those who are active are not specifically catered to, yet it can be helpful for relaxation and stress alleviation.
Sports massage differs significantly from a typical massage. Traditional massage utilizes softer, more general pressure, whereas sports massage uses deep, targeted pressure to target specific muscles and parts of the body. Additionally, regular massage is more of a full-body relaxing experience, as opposed to sports massage which concentrates on specific areas, such as tight muscles or injuries.
While the objectives of traditional massage are relaxation and stress release, those of sports massage are to assist the body in recovering from physical stress and preventing injuries.
So which kind of massage is best for you?
Sports massage is the way to go if you’re an athlete, active person, or person suffering from an injury, trying to prevent and treat injuries, increase flexibility, and promote recovery. A classic massage, on the other hand, might be more appropriate if you’re searching for a calming and stress-relieving massage.
Note that only licensed massage therapists with experience treating athletes should provide sports massage. Salmon Arm Massage have that training and experience. Talk to us now about your massage requirements.