Sports Massage
Strokes intended for athletes include vigorous manipulation, assisted stretching for muscle warm-up prior to strenuous movement and soothing manipulation to ease muscle contractions and promote blood circulation after physical exertion. If injury occurs, focused massage movements are applied to lessen muscle inflammation, facilitate recovery and prevent scar tissue formation.
There are massage techniques aimed for particular body areas and also
particular injuries. Specifically, sports massage can render the following
physiological benefits:
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Improved tissue permeability - deep pressure massage strokes enable constricted tissue membranes to open up and allow vital body fluids to enter and for metabolic waste products such as lactic and uric acid to be flushed out. The entry of much needed nutrients and oxygen through the blood enable muscles to heal faster.
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Thorough stretching of muscles - massage stretches muscles, ligaments and tendons in a way that can not be achieved using traditional methods. Muscles are stretched lengthwise and crosswise. Massage also stretches the myofascia, or the thin membrane that holds muscles together, thereby releasing tension there.
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Restores tissue elasticity - grueling training can cause tissues to become rigid and inflexible. Massage can make overworked tissues pliant and elastic.
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Promotes micro-circulation - massage facilitates smooth blood flow to tissues by expanding blood vessels in order for oxygen and nutrients to pass through unhampered.
The development of classic or Swedish massage techniques into a modality that was appropriate for athletes'conditions and needs began in the early 1900's in Finland, specifically in the Finnish School of Massage.
The earliest use of massage in professional sports was noted in the 1924 Paris Olympics. A Finnish track and field athlete, Paavo Nurmi, also known as the Flying Nurmi, won 5 gold medals and recognized for his feat of winning 2 of these in one day. He credited his achievements to having massage as part of his training program. Since then, the advantages of sports massage began to be seriously considered in other parts of the world, particularly Russia and became a standard part of athlete's daily routines. Massage therapists also became regular members of athletes' training teams.
However, it was only after the World War II that sports massage was introduced in the United States. A German prisoner-of-war related to the American athlete and massage therapist, Jack Meagher, the existence of a massage treatment specially designed for athletes. The latter went on to learn its techniques from another German and to continuously practice it.
Drawing from his 3 decades of experience with sports massage, Meagher wrote a book about it in 1980 entitled: Sports Massage: A Complete Program for Increasing Performance and Endurance in Fifteen Popular Sports. This prompted the American Massage Therapy Association to promote its use locally, starting with the Boston Marathon in 1985. After this, sports massage has become an accepted component of athletes' training programs in the United States.