Why Olympic Athletes Like Sports Massage
Why Olympic Athletes Like Sports Massage
Olympic athletes are always training. After all, it is what they do best, and doing more of it keeps them strong, flexible, and better at what they do. However, Olympic athletes don’t just train, eat, and sleep; they do massage therapy. Sports massage helps Olympic athletes, and athletes of all spectrums, keep their body healthy and ready for more workouts. Without massage therapy, athletes would have a harder time taking care of their bodies and going out there to do what they do best. Besides, even the best gymnasts and sports idols get sore after a long and intense workout and need to help their body tolerate that soreness. So what exactly do Olympic athletes enjoy about massage therapy?
Benefits of Massage Therapy for Athletes
Olympic athletes don’t just love how massages feel (which, of course, they feel amazing). They enjoy what massages do for their health and their sports career. Sports massage is all about improving the body’s performance, getting rid of sore muscles, and helping prevent injuries. And yes, the body can get injured when it is over exhausted and pushed past its strength and limit. But what else does massage therapy do? These five benefits are just a few of the many other benefits:
- Enhances blood flow to the muscles by stimulating the circulatory system
- Creates an inflow of oxygen-rich blood, and this aids the body of getting rid of the byproducts of hard exercise and supplies fresh nutrients
- Reduces muscle soreness
- Improves range of motion
- Breaks up scar tissues or adhesions that can constrain muscle movements
Other than these main benefits, sports massage also helps the body relax and recharge. Massage therapy has been proven to help people’s mental state as much as their physical state, and so it plays a major role in giving Olympic athletes the utmost relaxation.
Fun Facts!
Did you know that Olympic athletes have regular, scheduled massage treatments designed for their own wellbeing? It is true. For Olympic athletes, sports massage is part of everyday training and recovery. Some even get a massage once a week or right after a hard game, workout, or the like.
What to Do If You’re an Athlete and Want a Better Massage?
If you are an athlete and feel that the massages you’re receiving aren’t 100% effective, consider the following:
- Does your massage therapist use a flat massage table?
- Are you not comfortable in the way you’re lying down during the sessions?
- Do you feel like your head and neck aren’t getting the support they need?
If any of these above things are applicable, consider telling your massage therapist to switch to a Comfort Craft table, which is a massage table with a mid-split design (a bend). This table removes the discomfort of lying on a flat table, supports your head and neck, and makes the massage more effective. A great Comfort Craft table to consider for athletes on the go is Model 100, which is a portable table that massage therapists can easily store and carry.
Sports massage improves the health and career of athletes and makes performance better, which is why Olympic athletes can’t live without it.