What is Sports Massage?

Is Sports Massage a modality or a buzz-word?

Sports Massage is not a style, but a Process.

 Understanding an athletes activity, competition schedule, and training habits are key to providing effective sports massage services.“Sports Massage” can be used as a buzz-word, knowing that active people are looking for something more than gentle spa services. After booking these services, does your therapist ask about your competition schedule, training habits, and performance goals? Do you engage them in your process? Is that “sports massage” different from that “deep tissue” massage?

If you are an athlete like me, I know when I am not performing at my best. My times are slower, I get tired more quickly, my hands and arms get sore where they previously didn’t. It gets in my head! Any athlete knows that their activity is as much a mental game as it is physical; how I feel about my performance is equally as important as how I did. That is where Ikigai Wellness LLC comes in. We take the time to learn your competition schedule, how you feel after different services, and inform you how we can support your process.

• Pre-Event

  Performed immediately before or within 30min of the event. These techniques are rapid, rocking & shaking type movements, with focus on joints and muscle groups being used for the event. This may even be accompanied by motivational dialogue. “Deep work” and excessive stretching is not recommended because athletes need to be ready to perform.

• Intra-Event

  Swim meets or track & field events commonly last for hours, with athletes competing in multiple events, sometimes hours apart. These mid-event services are performed in the middle of an event to keep the athlete loose and ready to perform at their highest potential.

• Post-Event

  Performed after the event, generally within 48 hours. The techniques are focused on relaxing the muscles used during the event, managing cramps, and gentle stretching.

• Maintenance

  Performed between events, with special consideration when events are within a week. The style of massage can be whatever the athlete needs to help them meet their performance goals. Swedish techniques are good for circulation, relaxing the nervous system, and general tension. Thai Massage and stretching modalities are great for improving flexibility and full-body relaxation. Myofascial techniques are great for specific areas of stress, pain, discomfort. Although lengthening a runners stride with stretching and “deep work” sounds like a good idea, it can be detrimental for an athlete that measures steps to hit a mark, like a hurdler or jumper.

• Recovery

  Similar to maintenance massage, this is exactly what it sounds like, recovery. No one expects to get injured but sometimes it happens and special considerations may be necessary. Sports Taping, hot and cold therapies, and lymphatic drainage are effective for various reasons. Having a diagnosis from an athletic trainer, PT, or sports physician can help set expectations for treating a muscle vs a tendon vs a ligament, which have drastically different recovery periods, sometimes lasting months.