It is well known that massage can benefit rehabilitation and recovery for a vast number of sports injuries. Many people believe it can only benefit the odd sprain, but it is far more important than that, helping to deal with injuries across a broad range. Every major sports club will employ someone to cater to their players' injuries with massage. They will probably see every player in the squad throughout the arduous season, as they can deal with all types of injury and keep on top of aches and pains, sprains, strains, hamstring injuries and back and neck spasms. Massage can even help recuperation from broken bones. The benefits are physical, physiological and psychological.
Physical
One of the main positive effects of massage is that it gets the blood pumping around the body, encouraging circulation. Massage also stretches tissue and bundles of muscle fibres that wouldn't usually be stretched, releasing tension from these unreachable places which would usually have a detrimental effect on performance. Deep massage opens the pores in tissue membranes, allowing them to take on fluids and nutrients. It can also break down scar tissue and improve the elasticity of tissue which can become hardened from repeated physical exertion. It increases circulation by opening and dilating the blood vessels.
Physiological
The main goal of massage is to reduce pain in the injured person, and it does so in many ways. One of these is that it increases endorphins within the body. It also helps promote relaxation in the individual. Muscles relax as they are massaged because of the increased circulation and heat. Also, being free of pain will aid anyone's efforts to relax their entire body.
Psychological
One of the most important factors of recovery is how we deal with pain and healing in out minds. Luckily, massage benefits us on a psychological level by reducing anxiety and leaving the body feeling invigorated and ready for action.
As massage has all the benefits outlined above, it plays a really important role in sports injury rehabilitation. All of the above benefits contribute to the rehabilitation of the sports injury, or injured area, allowing them to heal at a rate that is much quicker than what would happen if massage was not part of the process of recuperation. It benefits both the player and the team by boosting performance and even extending careers. It's an absolute must to deal with all sports injuries.
