massage therapy after swimming

Maximize Your Performance With Sports Massage!

May 4, 2017

If you think massage is all about lavender and wind chimes, think again. Not only do elite athletes use massage as a secret weapon to speed recovery, most NBA, NFL, and MLB teams also employ full-time massage therapists.

 

In a recently published article entitled, “Sports Massage to Boost Performance & Relax,” author and expert, Gurpreet Sohal, writes:

 

“Sports massages are known to have several benefits that are physical, physiological and psychological in nature. With the help of a sports massage an athlete can maintain the body in a better condition and prevent injuries and loss of mobility. Massages can help restore mobility to an injured muscle tissue and boost performance too,” adding that Overstrain or too much activity can have disastrous consequences for sports persons. “Sports massage can alleviate pain in various parts of the body caused by physically strenuous activities,” Sohal writes.

 

Lara Rosenbaum, author of “The Best Massages to Speed Recovery, Boost Immune Strength, and Relax,” in Men’s Fitness, lists her top 4 reasons why massage makes you even more fit:

 

  1. Speed Recovery
  • “Massage not only loosens you up, it also aids recovery post-workout. Muscles need nutrients to recover, and massage improves circulation, bringing those nutrients faster.”

     2. Build Immunity

  • “A study conducted by Cedars-Sinai showed that massage increases lymphocytes and white blood cells—which help prevent disease—and slows the release of cortisol and vasopressin, hormones related to stress.”

     3. Helps Chill You Out

  • “More and more studies are showing how dangerous it can be to have excess stress and anxiety— the ensuing flood of cortisol can weaken the immune system and elevate blood pressure, and massage can fight that.”

     4. Relieves Pain

  • “Science backs the benefits of massage in pain relief across the board. Muscles in pain are contracted and tight, and can’t release themselves.”