In theory, a sports massage sounds promising to improve your training success. But does it really help you? Research has been going on for several decades to determine whether the mechanisms of action described can actually be verified.
This article briefly summarizes the current research and points you to where you can get the best massage in NYC.
Can you increase your performance with sports massage?
Theoretically, sports massage should increase positive performance factors by minimizing negative performance factors (including dysfunctional muscles, limited mobility, pain, and anxiety). In evaluating 49 studies, however, no positive or negative overall effect of sports massages can be confirmed for strength, jumping, sprinting, or endurance performance.
There is a positive trend after high-intensity mixed exercises. In the case of strength and endurance exercises, on the other hand, the effects are small or even disadvantageous. Overall, untrained subjects seem to benefit more from sports massages than trained athletes.
Can you improve your (passive) mobility?
The consideration of five studies points to a small but positive overall effect of 7% on the mobility of athletes after a massage.
Can you prevent muscle fatigue?
Even if many top athletes swear by sports massage to prevent or overcome muscle fatigue, no effect could be proven in four studies. It could only be confirmed that the subjective perception of pain and exhaustion after a sports massage was lower than in the control groups. Incorporating sports massage and lifeguard training may be beneficial for athletes.
Can you influence delayed muscle soreness?
The delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) usually occurs between 24 and 72 hours after an unusual eccentric load and subsides after five to seven days. The cause of DOMS is the rupture of sarcomeres due to mechanical tension in exercise. As a result of the regeneration of muscle fiber tears, it is due to, among other things:
- the delayed pain
- the limited mobility,
- the increased muscle tension,
- the increased resting metabolic rate and
- the increased metabolic rate to reduced athletic performance.
Sports massage is often used preventively after exercise to relieve DOMS. In addition to blood flow, they should also promote local lymph flow. They should reduce not only edema but also relieve pain.
The evaluation of ten studies showed that the use of sports massage reduced the subjectively felt pain and sore muscles by 13%. This finding could be particularly relevant for sports in which DOMS is to be expected or the regeneration phases before the next performance is not long enough.
Do your muscles regenerate faster?
Based on the current study situation, the only statement that can be made is that there is a positive trend for muscle regeneration in weight training. Above all, a sports massage can be used when the regeneration phases before the next performance interval are too short.
Can you prevent injuries with sports massage?
Massages in sports are often used preventively to prevent muscle injuries. Thus, dysfunctions must be prevented before and after training, and regeneration must be stimulated. Even if the mechanisms of action cannot yet be proven, they can influence the following processes:
- increase in mobility,
- Increased well-being by reducing the subjective perception of pain and fear and,
- Reduction of DOMS by reducing the subjective perception of pain
While the increase in mobility can also be seen as promoting injury, it is, above all, the increase in well-being and the reduction of pain and anxiety that can lead to increased self-confidence and more safety in training and thus reduce the risk of injury.
How Effective are Massages in Sports?
But how effective are sports massages really? It all depends on what you want to achieve with her. If you are looking for an increase in performance in terms of strength, jumping, sprinting, or endurance, you should confidently stay away from it. To date, no mechanism of action or positive effect for an increase in performance could be proven. A few studies even describe a negative trend.
But you might have a better hand if you’re more interested in reducing perceived muscle fatigue, delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), or your risk of injury. Sports massage can be proven to have positive effects by reducing perceived pain and fatigue.
Mobility can also be temporarily improved. However, it would help if you always considered the benefits this has for your training. While increased mobility makes sense in some areas, it should be treated with caution in others.
Conclusion
In summary, many mechanisms of action have not yet been adequately demonstrated. Sports massages primarily contribute to well-being before, during, or after training. Thus, they are vital for an athlete’s overall performance and muscle well-being. You can book a session with us at Elite Healers Sports Massage for your sport’s deep tissue massage in NYC.
