Pushing the body to its limits- that’s what athletes do. The quest for fitness can take a toll on the body, particularly with the musculoskeletal system. Working out stresses muscles and can put added pressure on joints and ligaments, causing pain and general soreness. Many professional athletes swear by massage as an essential part to their fitness routine. At Ballaura Wellness Spa in Olympia, WA, we advocate for athletes to be receiving regular massage at least once or twice per month. Here, we discuss 5 reasons why athletes should be getting regular massages.
Increases Range of Motion
Massage has been proven study after study to increase range of motion in joints. Massage improves blood flow to the area being worked, which in turn improves healing and helps let go of the surrounding tissues. This is highly beneficial for athletes as an increase in range of motion allows for movements to be more fluid and less strenuous on the body.
Reduces Pain
Pain reduction is another proven benefit of massage that many individuals seek. Athletes are prone to pain due to fatiguing the muscles from use. Reduction in pain helps increase general wellbeing, an added bonus for those who work their bodies constantly.
Reduces Inflammation
Reduction in inflammation is another added benefit of massage. Massage can speed up the recovery of the trauma experienced by the overuse of the muscles. In short, massage reduces the overall time that muscles experience inflammation post-workout.
Increases Relaxation
Relaxation is never a bad thing. Increased relaxation following a massage can improve mental function and calm the nerves. By lowering the body’s overall stress levels, athletes are able to focus on their event with an improvement in overall performance.
Improves Performance
Speaking of improvement in performance, massage has many other added benefits that are too numerous to mention here. From reduction in blood pressure in improvement in blood flow, massage makes the body feel that much better. Like the points mentioned above, massage has countless benefits that improve the body’s functionality, leading to an improvement in performance.
