While most of us are fighting the January blues, the biting cold and the overwhelming urge to curl up in front of a warm fire, the professional rugby and football season is just beginning to hot up. Those tricky winter fixtures are when the title contenders really make that move up the table and the relegation scrappers dig in their heels and fight for their lives.
On the pitch it may look like just another day at the office, but behind the scenes there is a huge amount of preparation and hard work taking place to keep fatigue and injuries at bay. And one treatment every pro takes advantage of at this time of the year is the sports massage. Now a staple in the sporting diet sports massages have become as important to performance as the hours in the gym and a meticulous nutrition plan. In fact, at Physio4Life we are now seeing more amateur sportsmen and women from the amateur ranks turning to sports massage as a way to keep them fit and healthy for the business end of the season.
Factoring in a recovery session can do as much for you as an extra gym session, which can leave you lagging if timed badly. Here’s the reason why.
The sports massage is not your typical end of the day treatment to de-stress and unwind. Capable of loosening up the muscles of the body and releasing the toxins that cause muscle fatigue, sports massages get right into the deep tissue of the body.
More specifically, massage therapy enables lactic acid to be removed rapidly and creates an environment whereby oxygen and nutrients are quickly delivered to the target muscles. The faster muscles can recover and repair after exertion, the sooner an athlete can train or play at 100% again.
Typically, the winter period is the worst for picking up injuries as muscles tighten up more easily in the cold conditions. Even thorough stretching before and after exercise doesn’t guarantee that injuries can be avoided – just look at the current list of players unavailable in the English Premier League or Rugby Union’s Premiership. But a sports massage can help to keep those delicate tissues free of knots that can lead to discomfort, twinges or even a dreaded muscle tear.
Sports massage, Putney
Do you want to keep injury at bay for the rest of the season? Or are you hoping to get back from injury that little bit quicker? Find out more about massage therapy Putney now or call Physio4Life on 0208 704 5998.