4 Reasons How Massage Therapy Benefits Athletes

A relaxing massage appeals to people from all walks of life, with almost 50 million people getting massages in a given year in the United States. While anyone can benefit from a rejuvenating massage, massage therapy offers athletes distinct musculoskeletal benefits. 

Board-certified chiropractor Steven Gentry, DC, often recommends massage therapy for athletes looking to improve their performance or recovery at ChiroCare Therapy in Rancho Santa Margarita, California. Licensed massage therapist Yessica Garcia, LMT, provides circulatory massages for adults and teens in addition to specialty techniques like myofascial release and deep tissue massage therapies. 

Our team can help you decide which massage aligns with your needs based on your targeted areas, existing injuries, and athletic goals. From amateur to professional, athletes turn to massage therapy for the advantages it offers the heart and muscles. Here are four ways massage therapy benefits athletes:

1. Alleviating muscle soreness

Post-exercise muscle soreness is a significant reason many athletes seek massage therapy. Overworking your muscles during exercise can lead to tension, which is one of the main reasons you feel the burn for a day or two after a game, competition, or practice. 

By manually manipulating your muscles, our massage therapist releases your muscle tension. Massage therapy also increases oxygenated blood flow to help sore, tense, and strained muscles recover faster. 

2. Injury healing and recovery

Overuse injuries, like tennis elbow and jumper’s knee, may be common in your sport of choice due to the repetitive motions involved in the game. These injuries develop slowly due to cumulative microtrauma to the tissue. 

Your overuse injury may take time to heal, even if you take several days or weeks away from your sport or activity of choice. However, massage therapy can speed the healing process by reducing inflammation and increasing blood circulation to supply the injured tissue with oxygen and nutrients. 

3. Increased range of motion

Feeling stiff or tight after a rigorous workout? Massage therapy can gently loosen and relax your muscles, resulting in increased flexibility during your next athletic competition. 

4. Cardiovascular benefits

Massage therapy is good for your heart. As long as you don’t have a pre-existing heart condition, massage therapy can reduce your blood pressure, slow your heart rate, and reduce your heart’s workload. That is great for athletes because the heart can pump oxygenated blood to your muscles more efficiently while you practice or compete. 

Schedule your next massage therapy session for relaxation and athletic recovery online or over the phone at ChiroCare Therapy today.