Lee’s Summit, MO has a short mild weather period that lends itself to many year-round outdoor activities and sports. Whether you’re a weekend warrior or a competitive athlete, a full-time resident or a periodic visitor, the golf courses, playing fields, and road courses await. However, if you don’t prepare adequately before your favorite outdoor activity or cool down properly afterward, pain and sports injuries could also be lurking in your future. To prevent physical problems and recover as fast as possible, add sports massage to your regular conditioning program. Let’s learn more about the amazing benefits of sports massage.
The Pre-Workout Sports Massage
Most pre-workout or pre-event sports massages are given as part of a regular warm-up program in the hours leading up to physical activity. This is a quick session lasting about 20 minutes to prepare your body for an injury-free day. Whether you’re running, playing soccer, or hitting the local golf course, this type of preparation can help you feel better, play better, and protect your muscles and tendons from rips and tears. The benefits of a pre-workout sports massage include:
• Lower incidents of sports-related injuries
• Higher performance levels
• Enhanced endurance
• Stimulated blood flow and circulatory systems
• Relief of anxiety and pre-performance nerves
The Post-Workout Sports Massage
When compared to your pre-workout sports massage, this session is usually a longer, more relaxing experience. It helps your body recover faster by reducing soreness and stimulating the healing process. The goal of the post-workout massage is to get you back on the playing field faster than if you skipped this healthy routine. The benefits of a post-workout sports massage include:
• Blood flow is enhanced to speed the healing process by carrying increased levels of nutrients and oxygen to individual cells within the muscles
• Speeds the removal of lactic acid and other toxins by stimulating the lymphatic system. Instead of feeling stiff and sore the next day, a sports massage can leave you feeling loose, comfortable, and relaxed.
• For an all-natural pain-relief method, sports massage stimulates the production of your body’s natural opiates or endorphins. This leads to an increased sense of well-being in addition to lower levels of pain.
Always Use a Licensed Professional Massage Therapist
Although many people may offer to give you a rubdown before or after your game, always use a licensed professional massage therapist for an actual sports massage. As part of their extensive training, these therapists have taken numerous courses in anatomy, body mechanics, and the underlying muscle structure. Their precise techniques will provide you with all of the benefits of an expertly-administered sports massage without causing any additional damage to your body’s delicate systems. While an amateur will have the best of intentions, they do not have the education or training necessary to ensure a safe experience. This is especially true if you have any old, sports-related injuries. Allow a professionally-trained massage therapist to help you feel your best before and after your workout.
Sports Massage Can Help with Overtraining
If you’ve been pushing yourself to the limit in the balmy Kansas City weather, you may be having a few unexplained health issues. If your recovery times have slowed, your sleep patterns have changed, or you’re experiencing unexplained fatigue, you’ve probably over-trained. While you should always get plenty of rest for the best recovery, a sports massage can facilitate this process.
For peak performance, give your local Massage Heights in Kansas City, MO a call today! We currently have 4 Kansas City area and our newest location in Lees Summit, MO
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