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Massage has been proven to relieve stress and muscle tension, but sports massage takes it to the next level. Let’s take a look at what everyone should know about the world of sports massage and how buying a massage chair may be the best purchase you’ll ever make.
Sports massage is a form of massage used specifically by people who play sports. Much like normal massages, this type of massage involves systematic manipulation of soft tissues. The biggest difference is that sports massage focuses its efforts on muscles related to whatever sport an athlete plays. For instance, a runner may invest in a massage chair to specifically massage their lower body.
Sports massage isn’t new to the world of pain relief, either. In fact, runner Paavo Nurmi is said to have used sports massage during the 1924 Olympic games, where he won five gold medals. It’s widely accepted that Jack Meagher is the father of sports massage in the United States, though. Meagher coined the term “sportsmasage” in the mid-1950s when he combined specific soft tissue applications based on anatomy, physiology and muscular kinetics. This specific application of techniques was dubbed the “Meagher Method” of sports massage.
Modern sports massage involves the use of multiple movements and techniques. Some of the most common techniques used in modern sports massage include:
The combination of these techniques is designed to help an athlete’s body recover and achieve maximum performance. Another goal of sports massage is to help athletes with their physical conditioning while reducing the chance of injury or pain. With a premium massage chair, athletes can sit back, relax, and indulge in these common techniques so they can prepare for
Now that we’ve covered the basics of what sports massage is, it’s time to get into how investing in a massage chair can benefit you as an athlete. When conducted in an appropriate manner, sports massage can truly work wonders for the body.
Sports injuries are unfortunately common. In many cases, the first course of action after a sports injury is to treat the pain with prescription painkillers. This practice, when utilized for long periods of time, can have a myriad of negative side effects. Sports massage can help prevent overuse of prescription painkillers while helping athletes recover from and prevent future injuries.
When performed correctly, sports massage can:
There are both physical and psychological benefits that athletes can reap when investing in sports massage. Recovery after an injury or preparation for an athletic event is about physical preparation just as much as mental preparation. Sports massage is designed to combine the calming and stress-relieving effects of traditional massage with enhanced muscle performance for athletes.
The research backs up many of these claims, as well. For instance, a 2018 study published in Frontiers in Physiology about perceived fatigue and recovery revealed that subjects felt like they were less fatigued and that they recovered more quickly after a sports massage. In addition, study subjects noted that they also experienced decreased anxiety, improved mood, and better sleep after their sports massages. A number of other studies also proved that delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) can be reduced by sports massage.
While more research is being done all the time, it’s safe to say that sports massage has some very real benefits for athletes.
Sports massage will typically differ from person to person depending on their needs. In most
cases, sports massage can be split into four distinct categories.
Pre-event sports massage is designed to stimulate muscle tissue. When you sit in your massage chair, you’ll focus the massage on the specific muscle groups that will be exerted during a sporting event. In most cases, a pre-event massage will take place anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes before an event.
Post event sports massage is, as the name suggests, performed after an athletic event. The purpose of these massages is to help muscle tissue normalize and recover from exertion. For best results, post event massages should be received within two hours of an event ending.
Restorative sports massage is typically received regularly as part of training for a particular event. The purpose of restorative massage is to enable more intense training by helping athletes prevent injury.
Rehabilitative sports massage is performed with the intention of alleviating pain from a sports injury.
When you purchase a premium massage chair, you’ll be able to indulge in a sports massage whenever you’d like. You can enjoy a sports massage before and after a sports competition in the comfort of your own home.
When it comes time for you to invest in sports massage by purchasing a premium massage chair, it can be helpful to know what to expect. First, expect to have the massage focused on a few specific areas of your body. As we touched on earlier, sports massage is specific to the areas of the body that are exerted most during an athletic event. If you’re training for a marathon, the massage will likely focus heavily on your lower body.
You should also expect your sports massage to be performed just under your pain threshold. You should adjust your position or breathing during a chair massage to maximize your comfort and the massage’s effectiveness.
Once your massage is complete, you can expect to feel sore for a few days afterward. It’s also possible that you’ll feel dehydrated and faint for a few minutes post-massage. This is your body working to metabolize all of the waste product removed from your soft tissues during the massage. After a few days, you should be feeling great and ready for peak athletic performance.
Finally, the best massage chairs will “map” your body so that it can customize your massage. This allows the chair to target the areas of your body that need massaging. Well-crafted massage chairs also improve quality of sleep, stimulate circulation, increase range of motion, reduce muscle pains and aches, lower your blood pressure, and ease tension and anxiety related to strained muscles.
Depending on the areas you would like your premium massage chair to focus on may change the massage chair that is best suited for your needs. If you’re looking for a glute or bum massage, you may want to consider a L-Track massage chair such as our Genesis Max. The glutes and bum are some of the biggest muscles in the body and are often neglected with massages. When you use a L-Track massage chair, you’re legs and calf muscles will get the extra attention that they need.
However, if you’re looking for a chair that offers more of a spinal decompression stretch, an S-Track chair, such as our IT-8500 Plus Massage Chair. On the S-Track chairs, the back of the chair operates independently from the seat so the chair can tip you horizontally like an inversion table, allowing your legs and back to get a powerful stretch that they otherwise wouldn’t get.
Regardless of the areas you’re looking to focus on with your chair massage, LAIDBACK has you covered with a variety of options and prices. Head over to our store in Natick, MA and speak with our team today.
Sports massage comes with a plethora of benefits for athletes. Whether you’re preparing for a big event or you want to intensify your training, these techniques could help you reach your performance goals. Consider purchasing a premium massage chair for your sports massage needs today!
