Whether you are a professional or amateur athlete, or simply a weekend warrior – when you train (i.e. run, bike, lift weights, swim, etc) you are putting stress on your muscles in order to build strength, stamina, and endurance for your particular sport. This process of building up and breaking down muscles causes them to become tight and short, which restricts circulation and creates muscular imbalances. All of these conditions are a normal byproduct of training but all need to be nurtured in order to enhance performance and prevent injury.
Cause and Effect of Conditions
- Tight muscles – Muscles move our bones by the connective tissue (fascia) that envelopes and connects them to our bones via tendons. Chronically tight muscles can put excessive stress on our tendons which can lead to tendinitis, and in some cases tendon pulls and tears which can put an athlete out for weeks if not months.
- Restricted circulation – Muscles are made of microscopic fibers surrounded by tiny capillaries that nourish the muscle with blood. If they become too tight the blood flow is greatly decreased, cutting off the supply of oxygen and glycogen to the muscle. Without proper fuel, the muscle(s) simply can’t perform properly.
- Muscular imbalances – There are two types of muscles – slow twitch (postural) and fast twitch (movers). The former metabolizes fuel for long sustained efforts, and when stressed tends to shorten. Fast twitch muscle fibers utilize higher amounts of oxygen than slow twitch fibers to produce quick bursts of energy and tend to weaken under stress. This juxtaposition causes an imbalance in opposing muscle groups and an inefficiency in the way the body works. It is very important to restore balance by lengthening short/tight muscles and re-energize weakened ones in order to maximize their capacity.
Simple Solution
Massage treatment
In order to compete and/or perform at your very best, all athletes (from amateurs to professionals) have to address the issues above. The good news is there are two incredibly simple solutions – stretching and massage.
Stretching is an often overlooked, yet essential component of training, especially in new and amateur athletes. They tend to be focused on the “no pain, no gain” aspect and want to push their bodies to the limit. This IS part of training and the other part is recovering and taking care of themselves, which includes spending almost as much time stretching and lengthening your muscles as you do strengthening them.
Sports massage should also play an important role in all training plans. You invest hours of time and energy, and copious amounts of money on gear, coaches, travel and more. Massage is part of this investment. It is like having an insurance policy that your body will operate well so you can have an optimal performance. Some people think of massage as a very passive and pampering type of activity. Sports massage is far from this stereotype for the client is actively participating in the session. During a sport massage session the client is ask to engage specific muscle groups to activate our bodies natural reflexes and responses to achieve a deeper therapeutic stretch. Also movement and resistant by the client is used to enhance the effectiveness of traditional massage strokes to achieve an optimal result.
Both stretching and massage help bring your muscles back to a state where they can operate most efficiently from a physiological and structural standpoint. When they are lengthened and pliable, blood flows freely and they are able to work effectively and efficiently.
And most importantly, your massage can enhance your body awareness, alerting you to potential problem areas, before they turn into real issues that would affect your ability to train and compete.
Don’t forget about the diaphragm
The diaphragm is the muscle that we engaged every time we breathe and like any other muscle it is susceptible to dysfunction. If it is not operating efficiently, your body is running on low octane rather than high octane fuel. Getting regular massage work on this area can enhance your lung capacity!
For more information about recovering from an injury with a massage call The Wellness Center Today! 303-357-9355