In general, massage is the practice of soft tissue manipulation for the purpose of relaxation, rehabilitation or health maintenance. There are apparently over 150 types of massage therapy if one includes the ancient forms and the modern techniques.
A sport massage is primarily for people who are physically active, play sport or train often in order to release stress, improve flexibility and improve range of motion. A combination of techniques are used in a sport massage including deep tissue massage which targets the deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue. Deep tissue massage is used for tight and painful muscles, repetitive strain, postural problems or recovery from injury.
The effects and benefits of massage:
The stroking movements in massage help drain the tissue of metabolites, creating 'space' for fresh blood and lymph to move out of adjacent vessels. This also helps to remove waste products and help the muscles to take up oxygen and nutrients in order to recover quicker.
Massage stretch the fascia that surrounds the muscle and adjacent tissue and breaks down scar tissue.
Excessive training can result in micro trauma making muscle tissues hard and inelastic (adhesions). Massage helps by breaking down adhesions and stretching the tissues.
Massage promotes the release of the body's endorphins and reduce the perception of pain. and general relaxation occurs because of the heat generated, circulation and stretching.
Indications for massage:
Stress and tension including tightness and tenderness- soft tissue discomfort which present particularly in the neck and shoulders
Postural problems- poor posture causing overworked and fatigued muscles
Sport fatigue- over training which leads to tiredness, lack of energy or fatigue
Injured muscles (but not torn) or muscle spasms- causing painful movements
There are many other types of massage like Swedish massage, hot stone massage, Thai massage and reflexology. A massage is meant to be a therapeutic or relaxing experience. The techniques used in Swedish massage are very similar to those used during a sports massage, however, the main difference being that sports massage tends to focus on a particular muscle group and involves greater pressure to work deeper into the tissues, which in turn produces greater effects.
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