When Is the Best Time for a Sports Massage?
A question commonly asked by Ballaura’s clients is:
“When is the best time for a sports massage?”
Post-Workout Massage (45 Minutes to 24 Hours After Your WOD)
Research has determined that the very best time to receive a sports massage is 45 minutes after your workout of the day (WOD). However, the human body also benefits greatly from massage within the first 1–24 hours post-WOD.
Getting a massage during this time can help:
- Prevent Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)
- Increase blood flow to the muscle tissues
- Prevent and reduce inflammation
- Release and flush lactic acid, which causes muscle soreness and post-WOD pain
Sports Massage During Recovery or De-Load Periods
Another great time to receive sports massage is during a recovery or de-load day or week. At this point, the muscles are no longer being broken down by training and are actively rebuilding and repairing.
During massage, the tissue is being broken down in a targeted way, focusing on scar tissue within the muscle.
Sports massage during recovery helps to:
- Target trigger points within the muscle
- Correct and encourage proper muscle movement
- Support healthy musculoskeletal development
- Accelerate the body’s natural healing process
Sports Massage Before an Athletic Event
Scheduling a sports massage prior to an athletic event—such as a race, triathlon, or other sports competition—can benefit an athlete’s overall performance and long-term recovery.
Benefits include:
- Improved range of motion
- Increased joint mobility
- Lengthened muscle fibers
- Improved blood flow to joints and muscles
- More efficient delivery of nourishment and electrolytes to muscle tissue
Timing matters:
A sports massage scheduled before an event should be done at least three days prior to ensure muscles are at peak performance and have time to rest and prime for the challenges ahead.
Sports Massage After an Athletic Competition
Sports massage following an athletic competition can help:
- Lengthen muscles
- Decrease muscle tension
- Offset trigger points
- Reduce inflammation
- Break down scar tissue before it sets in
Aligning muscle tissue and improving circulation also helps rid the body of toxin buildup after a vigorous event that stresses the same muscles repeatedly.
Massage can also help:
- Alleviate the body’s natural fight-or-flight response
- Relax post-competition stress hormones
- Support both physical and nervous system recovery
Sports Massage for Long-Term Athletic Health
As exciting as competition can be—whether it’s a 5K, marathon, CrossFit competition, or weightlifting event—these experiences are not everyday occurrences for the body and can leave it stressed and weary.
Just like exercise, training, and proper diet, sports massage is a vital tool for serious athletes, helping keep the body in optimal shape now and for years of athletic participation to come.
