Part two of the Sports Massage series looks at the techniques involved, and gives some statistics on why pro athletes use Sports Massage to stay fit and healthy. For the complete article click on this link Common Sports Massage Techniques Every massage therapist has specific techniques that they prefer to use in sports massage sessions, but there are a few basic types which are commonly used to help treat the athlete client. A comprehensive review published in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness breaks them down into five general categories, which are: Effleurage. The review shares that the strokes used in effleurage, which are of varying pressure and applied consistent with lymph and venous flow, are intended to “relax the client, warm the tissue, assist circulation and tissue drainage, stretch muscle and fascia, and soothe painful or sore areas.” Petrissage. This kneading technique can be used to either relax or stimulate the athlete’s muscle, but it also provides additional benefits, such as those related to improved circulation and enhanced removal of metabolic waste. Tapotement. By using “repetitive light striking movement to the skin with the ulnar portion of hands or with hands in a cupped position,” this review shares that the therapist can provide energy and stimulation to the athlete’s muscle tissues. Friction. Friction massage, the type of sports massage in which strokes are applied in circular or linear motion, is intended to help the athlete by creating an inflammatory response, thus breaking down and separating scar or adhered tissues. Vibration. Used in pre-event massage sessions, vibration works by shaking the target muscle groups, a movement that promotes relaxation and improved circulation. This review goes on to explain that sports massage sessions can also involve the use of “more specialized techniques.” These particular techniques are often dictated by whether the massage is provided before or after the event, but often include the use of compressive strokes, jostling strokes and broad circular friction. Levels of Sports Massage Providing sports massage services offers the therapist the ability to work with people of all ages and skill levels. For instance, according to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), there are almost eight million high school students currently playing sports. An additional 249,154 male and 175,553 female athletes compete at the collegiate level, playing for their college or university in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, hockey, soccer and various other competitions. Combine these with the 4,146 active players in the NFL (National Football League) MLB (Major League Baseball), NBA (National Basketball Association), NHL (National Hockey League) and MLS (Major League Soccer); the 244 Olympic athletes on Team USA who competed in the 2018 Winter Games; and all of the “weekend warriors” who play sports on a more sporadic basis and this represents a huge number of individuals who rely on their bodies to consistently perform at higher levels. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual income for an athlete in spectator sports is $104,900. Pro sport wages can easily enter the millions, with some players contracted for 10 or more times that amount. So, although some athletes play for fun, others engage in sports activities as a way to earn a living for themselves and their families, making their total health and wellness even more critical. Either way, it’s important for athletes of all levels and engaged in all sports to develop and maintain a fit body. This goal can be accomplished via a well-designed health and wellness regimen, and receiving regular sports massages is a beneficial part of this type of program. Sports Massage Versus Other Types of Massage What makes a sports massage different than other types of massages available to athletes and non-athletes alike? A sports massage, which is often called an orthopedic massage or clinical massage, “does involve deep work,” says Waslaski, “but it also involves looking at injuries, performance enhancement and recovery.” That’s why he stresses the importance of massage therapists in the sports space learning orthopedic assessment. McElroy adds that another difference between sports massage and other massage therapies is “the feedback necessity that goes on in sports massage work.” She goes on to explain that “the athlete is actively engaged in the work, whether that’s verbal cues on pressure or information on the cause or the onset of the pain.” And if you’re working with an athlete who is participating in a formal training program, feedback is often provided there as well. One factor that changes for Pietrunti when performing sports massage versus other types of massage is the client intake. “To start, I use a few different movement screens that I add in addition to my general intake,” he says. “This allows me to see how the client moves relative to their needs and gives me a baseline for tracking improvement over multiple sessions.” This additional screening enables Pietrunti to customize his treatment plan to better suit the individual athlete. “I employ a variety of joint mobilizations, muscle energy techniques and stretches based on the movement patterns for each client’s needs,” he says. Pietrunti also shares that he is often “more vigorous and dynamic” when providing sports massage versus other types of massages. “I use a lot of deeper techniques,” he says, “as well as some Tui Na hand techniques and other eastern modalities that allow me to move in a more rhythmic fashion.” Pietrunti says he also uses “little to no lubricant” when performing these sessions, and the client is completely clothed in loose workout gear. Check back for the final installment of the Guide to Sports Massage from Massage Magazine Cade Holmseth is a professional athlete who well understands the power of Sports Massage to keeping healthy and fit. His massage therapy business, Hands of Health Bodywork, has helps athletes and “regular folks” get the most out of life and feel terrific.
Sports Massage: What’s in it for You? Over the years I’ve had many questions about what a sports massage is, and is it beneficial to athletes. Massage Magazine did an outstanding (and very long) report about this topic, and I’ll break it down to smaller pieces for you. The first part is “What’s a Sports Massage and Why is it Beneficial?” What is sports massage? Sports massage is similar to Swedish massage, and research published in the North American Journal of Sports Physical Therapy explains that sports massage refers to “a collection of massage techniques performed on athletes or active individuals for the purpose of aiding recovery or treating pathology.” Simply, it is massage designed to help active people prevent and address injuries while engaging in their favorite sport. James Waslaski of Integrated Manual Therapy & Orthopedic Massage, and a long time insurance policy holder of Massage Magazine Insurance Plus agrees with this definition, adding that sports massage serves other valuable purposes as well. For instance, it helps athletes better prepare their bodies for an upcoming competition, and it can also enhance their performance during the event. But it’s also important to realize that each athlete has different needs with regard to sports massage services. “When I worked with the [New York] Yankees and the 1996 Olympic athletes, they would want specific, different techniques,” says Waslaski, a certified personal trainer with the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) who teaches approximately 40 seminars per year around the globe. Each of these techniques provide different results, thus also providing the athlete with more individualized benefits. Benefits of sports massage As far as actual benefits received, Waslaski explains that it is often the stage the athlete is in that determines the value a particular sports massage technique has to offer. These can be broken down into two categories: pre and post-event. Pre-event sports massage benefits A former supervisor of the Boston Marathon, Waslaski says that pre-event sports massages are often used to “activate weak muscles and check firing patterns.” These two factors can enhance the athlete’s performance by helping the body more fully prepare for the upcoming physical activity. Research has confirmed that pre-event sports massages can provide athletes with additional benefits as well. These often include experiencing a lower blood pressure, an increase in strength and improvements in flexibility. Jonny Pietrunti, LMT, CSCS, is the director of clinical services at Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in New York, New York. He shares that he’s seen the last effect, increased flexibility, firsthand with his clients. “Due to the repetitive nature of some sports, many of my clients develop limitations in range of motion,” says Pietrunti. “While a certain amount of ‘function tightness’ is important for athletes, excessive limitation in ROM [range of motion] and simple aches and pains from repetitive use can be problematic, and sports massage can help with that.” Multiple pieces of research have found this same result. For instance, a systematic review and meta-analysis published in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science in February 2017 found that “massage therapy significantly improved the shoulder range of motion.” Additionally, the most favorable effect for this area of the body was found in movements related to flexion and abduction. Post-event value of sports massages Sports massage is also beneficial post-event as it helps promote recovery, says Waslaski. Studies have found the same, indicating that one way in which massage aids in the recovery process is by helping the body remove blood lactate, a lactic acid that appears in the blood when tissues don’t get enough oxygen during anaerobic metabolism. This same research found that massage further helps by reducing issues related to delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). DOMS is not only painful to the athlete, but it can also reduce ROM or decrease muscle strength. Massage can also be especially helpful post-event if there is an injury, says Waslaski. In these cases, massage therapists can assist the athlete in overcoming the injury by first performing a clinical massage to assess and evaluate the problem. The next step, says Waslaski, is to implement the appropriate sports massage technique to help it begin to heal. Sports massages can also provide athletes relaxation benefits, a factor that Pietrunti says is “often understated” yet can help them get into a better mental state not only for the event, but for life in general. “Many athletes and weekend warriors put themselves under a great deal of mental stress in preparation for a competition,” says Pietrunti. “For many amateur athletes, this is exacerbated by other day-to-day stressors from their jobs, families and life. Sometimes, just setting aside an hour to relax and unwind can be a huge step towards better performance and quality of life.” Julie McElroy, LMT, specializes in sports massage and adds that this type of massage also provides “an unintended additional benefit” to athletes, which is the opportunity to discuss various details related performance with the massage therapist. This includes talking about topics such as overtraining, psychological stress and family issues as “athletes’ challenges are both physical and emotional,” says McElroy. “A relationship with a sports therapist who ‘gets it’ seems to positively add to the therapy.” As you can see, this topic is extensive and important. The bottom line is, if you are an athlete, a sports massage is extremely helpful to keeping you active and healthy. And if you are an “armchair athlete”, meaning you are active only a day or two a week, a sports massage is also beneficial, because it’s going to help you heal sore muscles before they make you miserable. Watch for the next article in this series. If you want to read the entire article, here it is: http://bit.ly/HOHsportsmassage
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