Massages for Athletes: 5 Ways a Massage Can Improve Your Workouts

Athletes are no strangers to injury or muscle pain. If you do something long enough—play soccer, run track, or lift weights, for example—you’re bound to experience soreness, achiness, and maybe even worse (sprains, breaks, concussions, etc.) at some point. It kind of comes with the territory. 

Professional athletes knows the truth of this. The occupation sees over 1,000 injuries a year for every 10,000 players. Athletes and sports competitors—a separate category—see over 2,000 injuries a year per 10,000 workers. 

The good news is that some injuries are made much more manageable, and perhaps even preventable, with massages for athletes. In fact, injuries aside, massages are a fantastic way to recover, improve mobility and flexibility, and more.

If you’re not sold on the benefits yet, keep reading for five compelling reasons to book a massage therapy appointment today.

1. It Promotes Flexibility of the Body

Massages can be done in one of two ways—you might opt for a full-body massage, or maybe you need to target a specific area. Regardless of which type of athletic massage you need, it can improve flexibility in that part of the body.

Think of your body as a relatively taut vehicle. If you don’t stretch often (we’re thinking that you do), you might notice even more tightness and lack of extension, due to low mobility. Those who do stretch know how well the body warms up after a good stretch session.

During massages for athletes, the individual benefits from this as warming up the muscles helps loosens them—causing them to relax which relieves any stress or tension that’s being held. Relaxing tights muscles allows the body to reach greater depths in poses or stretches. These benefits may continue if massages are done regularly (and if the athlete is stretching, too).

It’s important not to over-stretch when you’re feeling warm, but rather, to stay within your range. 

2. Massage Allows for a Productive Rest and Recovery Day 

Rest and recovery are crucial to supporting an athlete’s body. Unfortunately, many athletes have a hard time resting because they feel like they’re not being productive. One day off from working out might feel like forever to a dedicated trainer. 

To which we say—everyone needs a break. So take the day off and get a massage!

Your future workouts will benefit significantly from this recovery time, which will feel more active thanks to the care you’re showing your body. Your muscles will recover and your body will adjust to any recent stress.

Combine rest with a sports massage and a good night’s sleep, and you’ll return to the gym feeling restored, fresh, and ready to crush it.

3. It Can Relax Nerve Compression

Something else many athletes understand is nerve compression—that utterly painful “pinched nerve” feeling in the back.

Often, that “pinched nerve” feeling is caused by tight muscles, ligaments, or tendons. What that person is experiencing is a compression of the nerve because of the soft tissues. Massage aims to pinpoint these areas of compression and combat the tightness over time and during sessions, allowing the muscles to relax and the pressure to dissipate. 

So, if you’re suffering from back pain due to soft tissues (not the bones), a massage appointment should be in your calendar.

4. Massage Improves Your Range of Motion

The Journal of Physical Therapy Science recently reported that massage therapy has a significant positive effect on range of motion (ROM), specifically in the shoulder.

For individuals with injuries or tightness, muscle therapy improves function status and relieves muscle hardness, both of which translate to improved ROM in the joints. Additionally, massage promotes blood circulation within the muscle itself, improving symptoms like edema (swelling caused by excess fluids in the body).

Finally, massage therapy can help remove fatigue substances.  

5. It Reduces Inflammation in the Body

For years, experts have cited the therapeutic, anti-inflammatory benefits of massage on the body. Of course, the advantages only double for people who use their bodies for sports, workouts, and other athletic exercises. 

Tissue specimens indicate that massage helps reduce production of inflammatory cytokines like tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin-6 (IL-6), resulting in less inflammation. Exercise-induced muscle damage was particularly positively affected by massage.

In addition to anti-inflammation, massage also promotes both a stretch response and mitochondrial biogenesis. These things were indicated to show the same positive effects as an over-the-counter NSAID. This is yet another benefit of massage for athletes—the ability to solve certain pain points without the use of pharmaceuticals, instead focusing on using the body—something an athlete knows and loves.

Work Hard, Play Hard, and Enjoy Massages for Athletes

Athletes put their bodies through a lot.

Training, workouts, stretching, lifting, running, swimming, biking—the list goes on and on! Some exercises are more impactful than others, and some sports riskier. All the while, athletes want their bodies to keep performing optimally (and some don’t even take time for rest days).

But recovery day is just as important as any other training day. That’s why we suggest you consider massage for athletes, which can help your body heal, feel better, and expand its comfort zone. Massage improves your workouts, heightens your flexibility, enhances your mobility, and much more.

Learn more about all the massages we offer that keep your active body in mind. Call Faces Spa today at: (402) 384-8400