A Largo massage therapist says, athletes are very prone to injuries. They experience injuries on their bones, ligaments, muscles, tendons, back, head...almost everywhere. In order to avoid getting hurt of injured, they use support wear, protective gears, and of course, they warm up before a game or competition.
One way of warming up the muscles is by a special type of massage technique, commonly available in massage spas. One well-known massage clinic in Largo (33771), Belleair, and Indian Rocks shares some of their knowledge about the sports massage.
The sports massage is not really a new technique. It's been around for quite some time now and observations on its positive physical benefits have been consistent. Although studies on its direct connection with healing injuries have shown vague results, many doctors and massage therapists can confirm the technique's ability to lessen the occurrence of injuries among athletes.
What a sports massage does, according to a Largo massage therapist, is that it uses fast strokes with light to heavy pressure on the muscles so it helps increase blood flow. Among the 5 massage therapy strokes, namely: (1) effleurage, (2) petrissage, (3) friction, (4) tapotement, and (5) vibration, the sports massage makes use of the strokes number 1, 4, and, 5 the most. In addition to increasing blood flow and circulation, the therapist also adds a few stretching techniques that allows the muscles to prepare for any type of strenuous movement during the game.
Getting a sports massage 10 to 15 minutes before a game can greatly prepare your ligaments, joints, and muscles. Persistent stress or sudden, extreme flexing of a joint can cause a ligament to be stretched too far, resulting in injury. An example of severe ligament damage, according to a Belleair massage therapist is a torn anterior cruciate ligament, the major ligament connecting bones in the knee joint—a relatively common athletic injury. On the other hand, the tendon, which joins a muscle with a bone or another muscle, can rupture without the necessary preparation for its use. Rupture of the Achilles tendon is a serious injury that most commonly affects athletes participating in events involving sprinting and jumping. Rupture of a tendon in the finger can result in deformity of the hand.
One Largo massage therapist says the athletes who regularly got sports massages before a game appeared more agile, mobile, and flexible. Though more formal studies and research have yet to be made, it is doubtless that the sports massage poses positive physical, as well as mental benefits for whoever gets it.
Treatment for injuries that occur during sports and exercise are as diverse as the injuries themselves. Treatments range from cryotherapy (cold treatment) and immobilization for simple sprains and strains, to complex surgical procedures for fractures and tears in ligaments or tendons. Drugs can be used to lessen pain and inflammation. Other treatments may include physical therapy, which is the supervised use of exercise, heat and cold treatments, and massage to rehabilitate injured muscles and joints. According to a Largo massage clinic, one massage technique used in tandem with physical therapy is the deep tissue massage.
A deep tissue massage involves the manipulation of deep tissue muscles in order to realign it with the natural force of gravity. Deep tissue massages can become quite a bit uncomfortable but this sensation is natural because the massage therapist would be working against the muscle grain. The soreness from a deep tissue massage should subside after a day or two, says a Largo therapist. Deep tissue massages are often combined with other treatments to optimize healing.
