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Sports Massage - An Introduction |
by:
Richard Lane |
Sports Massage - An Introduction
Copyright twozerozerofive Richard Lane
Many therapists offer Sports Massage on their “Massage
Menu” yet few understand what Sports Massage is about.
Whenclient comes in requestingSports Massage, some
therapists merely react by going in deep. Sports Massage
is so much more.
Whilst Sports Massage does have some aims in common with
other forms of massage therapy,usual experience in
conventional massage is to aim to restorenormal
function when someone is injured. But in sport there is no
‘normal’ and athletes are always looking to improve and
gaincompetitive edge. Most athletes aim to reach
level of performance they can never achieve.
A Sports Massage therapist has great potential to assist
the athlete to become better, rather than merely normal.
In striving to be better,athlete attempts to
systematically increaselevel of training and thereby
subjectingbody to gradual and controlled overuse.
This overuse can often create imbalances and problems in
the soft tissues, which if ignored may become chronic.
Clearly this may hinderathlete’s performance and/or
rate of improvement. Sports Massage can becomekey
ingredient inathlete’s success and this is why top
competitors incorporate it asintegral part of their
training regime.
So what is Sports Massage? McGillicuddy(one) defines Sports
Massage as “the specific application of massage techniques,
hydrotherapy protocols, range of motion/flexibility
protocol and strength-training principles utilized to
achievespecific goal when treating athletes”. He
considers that there are three principles that are vital to
understanding what type of Sports Massage to apply to
athlete at any given time. These principles are:
&#sixonesixtwothree; Timing
&#sixonesixtwothree; Technique and
&#sixonesixtwothree; Intent
The timing of Sports Massage is related to whenmassage
is applied, is it pre-event or post-event, during
maintenance period or possibly post-injury when
rehabilitation is required. The technique refers to what
massage/stretching/strengthening methodstherapists
employs to attempt to achieveintent,desired
outcome.
The intent of pre-event massage is to warm upmuscles
and to get blood flowing throughmuscles. The massage
techniques generally used are petrissage, vibration,
percussion, compression, muscle broadening strokes, etc.
With post-event massage,intent is assist in
recovery process by increasing venous and lymphatic
circulation to assist with removal of metabolic by-products
and thereby decreasing muscle soreness so thatathlete
can return to full training faster. The massage techniques
would include effleurage, compression, petrissage, passive
movements and light stretching. The intent of maintenance
massage is to keepathletes muscles and tissue in
optimum condition and is generally scheduled atregular
frequency (be it weekly or fortnightly), closely married to
the athlete’s training program.
Thus Sports Massage is not about going deep nor it is
learning one technique. The requirement fortherapist
is to applyappropriate treatment atappropriate
time, which takes education, skill and experience.
(one) M. McGillicuddy. “Three Key Principles of Sports
Massage”. MassageToday.com May twozerozerothree, Volumezerothree Issue zerofive.
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Richard Lane isqualified remedial and sports massage
therapist, withmobile massage practice in Sydney's Inner
West (www.innerwestmassage.com.au or
info@innerwestmassage.com.au). Health fund rebates. ATMS
onethreezerotwozero
|
Richard Lane isqualified remedial and sports massage
therapist, withmobile massage practice in Sydney's Inner
West (www.innerwestmassage.com.au or
info@innerwestmassage.com.au). Health fund rebates. ATMS
onethreezerotwozero
Contact him at http://www.innerwestmassage.com.au |
|
