Muscle soreness and injury from sports-related activities

Sports massage isn’t just for professional and collegiate athletes. For instance, it can also be beneficial for anyone who leads an active lifestyle. This can be a weekend warrior or amateur athlete. There are many benefits of adding massage to your training regimen. A few are:

  • Reduce muscle tension
  • Increase range of motion
  • Enhance athletic performance
  • Improve soft tissue function
  • Decrease muscle stiffness and fatigue
  • Decrease delayed onset muscle soreness

There are no techniques specific to sports massage. Rather, a sports massage therapist understands the physiology, psychology, anatomy, and risks associated with athletes and their sport. In conclusion, depending on the type of athlete, working with a massage therapist may involve sessions on a weekly or monthly basis or it can be sessions tailored around a race, training, or season.

Return to Conditions Treated

References:

AMTA, Position Statement: https://www.amtamassage.org/approved_position_statements/Massage-Therapy-for-Those-Who-Exercise.html

Zainuddin, Z., Newton, M., Sacco, P., & Nosaka, K. (2005). Effects of Massage on Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness, Swelling, and Recovery of Muscle Function. Journal of Athletic Training, 40(3), 174–180.

Brukner, P., and Khan, K., with colleagues.  (2009). Clinical Sports Medicine. Sydney, Australia: The McGraw-Hill Companies.

Crosman, L.J., Chateauvert, S.R., Weisberg, J. (1984). The effects of massage to the hamstring muscle group on range of motion. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther, 6(3):168-72.

Fritz, S. (2005). Sports & Exercise Massage: Comprehensive Care in Athletics, Fitness, & Rehabilitation. St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier Mosby.