At LA Sports Massage we recognize 6 different types of Sports Massage: Pre-event, Post-event, Inter-event, Rehabilitative, Recovery, and Maintenance. The biggest factor that determines a specific type is the goal of the massage. A massage at an event, for example at a swim meet, has an entirely different goal than a massage for a baseball pitcher seeking to work out shoulder issues during his off-season. The strokes or techniques will of course vary as well.

Types of Sports Massage 

• Pre-event- short up tempo massage before a competition that both relaxes and invigorates.
• Post-event- short massage given after the event that helps rid muscles of lactic acid and tension.
• Inter-event- short massage given between sets, innings, matches, etc.
• Rehabilitative- longer massage focused on chronic injuries in healing phase. Many people would know this as Deep Tissue Massage but also can be called Restorative or Remedial.
• Recovery- longer massage given days after event help body recover from stress of the competition. Some athletes would call this a “Flush”.
• Maintenance- longer massage, received regularly to help avoid soreness, improve performance, and decrease cumulative trauma.

These types of massage are sometimes combined during a session. So in a real world situation the distinctions between types become blurred.

In future posts we’ll discuss the individual types in greater detail.

The Benefits and Effects of Sports Massage © by Sports Injury Clinic

Sports massage should play an important part in the life of any sportsman or woman whether they are injured or not. Massage has a number of benefits physical, physiological and psychological.

Physical effects of massage

• Pumping – The stroking movements in massage suck fluid through blood vessels and lymph vessels. By increasing the pressure in front of the stroke, a vacuum is created behind. This is especially important in tight or damaged muscle tissue as a tight muscle will squeeze blood out like a sponge, depriving the tissues of vital nutrients and energy to repair.
• Increased tissue permeability – Deep massage causes the pores in tissue membranes to open, enabling fluids and nutrients to pass through. This helps remove waste products such as lactic acid and encourage the muscles to take up oxygen and nutrients which help them recover quicker.
• Stretching – Massage can stretch tissues that could not be stretched in the usual methods. Bundles of muscle fibres are stretched lengthwise as well as sideways. Massage can also stretch the sheath or fascia that surrounds the muscle, so releasing any tension or pressure build up.
• Break down scar tissue – Scar tissue is the result of previous injuries or trauma and can effect muscle, tendons and ligaments. This can lead to inflexible tissues that are prone to injury and pain.
• Improve tissue elasticity – Hard training can make tissues hard and inelastic. This is one reason why hard training may not result in improvements. Massage helps reverse this by stretching the tissues.
• Opens micro-circulation - Massage does increase blood flow to tissues, but so does exercise. What massage also does is open or dilate the blood vessels and by stretching them this enables nutrients to pass through more easily.

Physiological effects of sports massage

• Pain reduction – Tension and waste products in muscles can often cause pain. Massage helps reduce this in many ways including releasing the body’s endorphins.
• Relaxation - Muscles relax through heat generated, circulation and stretching. Mechanoreceptors which sense touch, pressure, tissue length and warmth are stimulated causing a reflex relaxation.

Psychological effects of massage

• Anxiety reduction – through the effects mentioned above relaxation is induced and so reduces anxiety levels.
• Invigorating – if massage is done with brisk movements such as what would be done before an event then this can produces an invigorating feeling.

Posted by express permission of Sports Injury Clinic

There is so much more to sports massage than just being on the table! Because of that, we wanted to create a platform to communicate with our clients outside of the office. Our goal is to make this a great place to share innovative ideas in the field of sports massage, self care, discuss new concepts and programs, and celebrate the successes of athletes just like you. Some of the foremost authorities on the human body and athletics will be writing guest posts, so make sure you check back often to take part in the conversation.

We invite you to spend some time here and on our site to learn more about what we can do for you to help you be the very best you can be at your chosen sport! Read, comment, offer ideas, ask questions. We’d love to hear from you.