Body Massage

Why Do I Need Massage Therapy?

Dilation of Blood Vessels

Swedish massage helps to dilate the blood vessels, which improves circulation, which is necessary for flushing out toxins that exist throughout the body (lactic acid) that can cause problems such as swelling and muscle soreness.

It is not the actual massage that is increasing circulation, but it aids the body to initiate its own natural healing. It also increases the amount of red blood cells, protecting the body from anemia. For athletes, it is very important to keep the muscles healthy and in superior condition to increase performance.

Swedish massages assist in this process by improving muscle tone and helping to prevent fatigue and muscular atrophy which could result in injury. Injury is commonly caused by fatigued muscles that have become shortened (that is, tightened and strained). This type of massage has been known to actually lengthen the muscle, which reverses this problem

Injury Prevention & Cleansing

Injury prevention is imperative for athletes. Massage helps the individual to be conscious of how their body functions and what restrictions it may have. It is also very important for athletes to keep their body cleansed of impurities, thus Swedish acts as a mechanical cleanser, by stimulating lymph circulation and quickening waste and toxic elimination.

As we all know, when a muscle is pushed too hard without enough water, muscle spasms can occur. Massage works to relax muscle spasms and gives a relief of tension, while also provides natural recovery to the body.

After an intense workout, the body is depleted of essential amino acids, such as L-Glutamine. Massage can offset this depletion as well as boost the immune system. Athletes know that it is vital that they stay in optimal health so they can continue to train.

To become sick and have to stop training for even three days can be detrimental to an athlete and their workout regimen. This massage provides support for the individual, not just on a physical level but on a psychological level as well.

The massage helps to stimulate a chemical reaction in the body that reduces the opportunity for the body susceptibility to colds and slower recovery time.

Relief from Tension & Stress

One of the most popular reasons to schedule a massage is to relieve the amount of tension and stress that one may feel. This includes athletes! Training is difficult and requires an enormous amount of dedication and hard work.

The actual event that the athlete is participating in can push their stress level to the max which can actually lessen their performance. This is where massage comes in as a necessary tool.

By allowing the mind to relax and release inner tension, the body follows along. From my own personal experience, having a massage prior to an athletic event has not only made me feel less anxious, but it has also made me aware that I have an edge on the rest of my competitors. 

Pre-event massage helps to enhance performance, reduce tense muscles, augment flexibility and awareness, and also as injury prevention. Massage can actually boost confidence levels because of a better outlook on body image, which is very important to all people but especially those who are faced with competition.

The body has the tendency to get so worked up from all the exercising and dieting that it can forget to relax, just as you forget to relax. Massage is beneficial for this reason because it allows the body to just chill out for a while and try to recover.