Sport Massage and Exercise
There have been many studies on the effect of massage therapy on athletes. Many of these studies have had conflicting results. One study that compared professional athletes with controls found no significant differences in muscle soreness. Another study that compared professional athletes and controls revealed a significant improvement in muscle soreness for athletes receiving massage, but there was no improvement for athletes who were not receiving massage. Similar results were seen in another study that evaluated active athletes against non-athletes.
There are no definitive studies showing that sports massage actually enhances Click here athletic performance, but a few studies suggest that it may assist in reducing the recovery time of athletes. Researchers discovered that athletes who had been engaged in intense exercise programs were less likely to recover from massage. In another study, participants that completed an exercise with a maximum workload showed significantly better performance than those who received the Sports massage. In a different study, the therapists who used sports massage demonstrated a significant improvement in physical performance in overweight adolescent girls.
A study comparing lactic acids production in both injured and control groups found no difference between groups. However the researchers did conclude that the effect of massage may depend on who the massage was given to. Researchers found that the production of lactic acids was highest in the group that exercised, and continued to be low after the session. On the other hand, the production of lactic acids was found to be greater in the the injured group during exercise and continued to rise following the exercise. This could be due to increased production of lactic acid in injured patients could decrease the patient's pain threshold and lead to a greater perception of exercise exertion.
There are a myriad of theories on how sport massage could improve performance in athletics. Athletes' faster recovery from injury is possible according to the physiologists. This theory also suggests that athletes may benefit from strengthening their arms and shoulders by stretching their superficial muscles. Another theory suggests that smaller, tighter muscles of the lower body can help reduce the recovery period for athletes who participate in vigorous sports during competition. A strong abdominal core muscles can reduce cramps and spasms that occur in athletes who participate in strenuous activity.
In addition to stretching and strengthening of muscles massage could also improve the flexibility of athletes. Stretching muscles can make them more flexible and more open to movement and training. When athletes train, their muscles become tighter and restrict their movements. In order to overcome the pain in their muscles athletes must do exercises to loosen tight muscle groups. This is where massages for sports plays a crucial role.
Research has shown that athletes feel a significant increase in cortisol levels when they exercise or engaging in high intensity. The stress hormone signals physical stress. Studies have shown that cortisol can increase muscle strength and endurance in low intensity exercise. In the study endurance performance was assessed prior to and after athletes completed 30 sprints. The sprints were timed to determine the amount of muscle twitch activity. Results showed an increase in muscle strength after sprints.
The increase in muscle strength resulted from the increased amount of glycogen in the muscles. Glycogen is a source of energy that is found in muscles during intense exercising. When an athlete's body goes through a period of high intensity physical exertion and it releases large quantities of glycogen to replenish lost energy during sprints. A study conducted by researchers from the University of Northumbria in the UK found that several sprints before a bout of competitive cycling resulted in a significant increase in muscle glycogen.
These studies have demonstrated that sports massage can be beneficial for athletes both during and after intense workouts. All of these studies were conducted on healthy non-athletes. If you suffer from any health condition that affect circulation , like kidney disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure, it's recommended to consult your physician prior to starting any treatment.