Sports massage is the use of specific massage therapy techniques in an athletic context to improve recovery time, enhance performance and reduce the risk of injury.
Sports massage is reported to have many beneficial effects in athletes. Sports massage can be used pre-performance, post-performance, during training, or for rehabilitation. From elite athletes to recreational exercisers, it is a popular choice. .
Some of the reported benefits of sports massage include:
- Increased joint range of motion
- Increased flexibility
- Increased sense of well-being
- Decreased muscle tension
- Decreased neurological excitability (nerves more relaxed)
- Decreased muscle spasms
- Better sleep
Purported benefits that are not supported by research include:
- Increased blood flow
- Increased elimination of exercise waste (lactic acid)
- Decreased chance of injury
- Decreased recovery time between workouts