The Benefits of Massage Therapy for Athletes

Most pro teams keep physical therapists on the payroll because injuries on the court or field need to be assessed and addressed immediately. If you’ve ever seen a player go down, the coach and physical therapist are immediately on the move. If initial assessment seems that nothing is broken, the player will be helped to the side lines and then you will see the physical therapist immediately go to work on the muscles sprained or bruised during the play that roughed them up.

Some pro teams also keep massage therapists on the payroll because of the amazing benefits massage offers athletes. However, you don’t have to be a pro athlete to enjoy those benefits. Any active person can receive the same benefits, and there’s no reason not to just because you aren’t a pro. There are plenty of firms out there alike to CK Physio who offer physiotherapy services to amateurs/non-pros, so if you have a sports injury or need help with tight muscles, there’s nothing stopping you from getting the help you need!

Physiological Benefits

Perhaps the most widely known benefit is to the cardiovascular system. Even when you aren’t injured, the very act of massaging the body increases the healing flow of blood. Oxygen is carried more efficiently through the body, so you often will not experience the ‘day after’ pain of a heavy workout. However, a body massage is more than just working the muscles. Many times, the massage therapist will help you stretch those overworked limbs at intervals during the massage.

Heavy exercise also causes the muscles to tighten and that is one of the most painful side effects of extensive workouts. While the pain will eventually recede on its own, it’s nice to know that a massage can help loosen those muscles whilst increasing the flow of blood to the area. If you are seeking to return to the gym sooner, that relief will have you up and about in a much shorter period of time. So the need to utilize the services from a professional physical therapist, who you can find from places similar to Luna, has never been more important if you want to make a full recovery at a much faster rate.

Psychological Benefits

Above and beyond the physiological benefits of massage therapy are the psychological benefits to be had. According to the expert massage therapists at Heaven and Earth Massage, there is a proven link between the mind and body and so when one is refreshed, the other is as well. Have you ever had a massage that helped to melt away the tension and anxiety as the massage therapist worked their magic?

After a particularly gruelling day of exercise and/or weight training, you may be feeling your spirits dwindling. You’d like to have seen better achievements and that is frustrating to no end. This sense of frustration can carry over to your home or social life and that is not something you want to see happen. Perhaps it’s the increase in oxygen in the brain that helps to restore wholeness of mind as well as body, but there is a growing body of evidence that proves what masseurs have known for years. There is definitely a connection between physical and mental health.

Whether releasing pent up stress from daily life or working to relieve those aching muscles, you can always count on a full body massage to relieve the symptoms immediately while helping to restore wholeness of mind and body. If you don’t believe it, give yourself a treat. You’ll be back for more!