If you’re an athlete, this message is for you!
Are you an athlete? Do you take part in sports on the weekend for fun? If your answer to either of these questions is yes, then it comes as no surprise to you that it is important to maintain optimal health if you want to continue playing the game you love! Seeing a physical therapist can help with injury prevention, especially if you’ve had a sports-related injury and are still recovering. After a sports-related injury, a recommended rehabilitation routine includes targeted therapeutic massage.
“Massage is widely considered part of alternative and integrative medicine,” according to the Mayo Clinic. For a wide range of medical illnesses and settings, it’s increasingly being offered alongside normal treatment.” It’s understandable that massage treatment is gaining popularity.
Here are five of the best benefits therapeutic massage can provide athletes. Orthopedic Sports Therapy strongly encourages you to discover how physical therapy can improve your game; request an appointment at our Tempe and Phoenix physical therapy office today! Our goal is to keep you safe, happy, healthy, and active in the sport you enjoy!
Are you taking care of yourself?
Dealing with acute or chronic sports-related injuries can be exhausting and extremely debilitating in many cases. No matter what kind of injury you’ve sustained, our physical therapists at Orthopedic Sports Therapy can help you make a full recovery.
Your body needs to be in the best condition at all times if you’re an athlete. You want to be able to perform at a top-notch level! This means that if you get hurt, it is critical that you consult with a physical therapist about a recovery plan.
It also means that you need to recognize the importance of health maintenance. Receiving a therapeutic massage once or twice a month is something that is really simple, but can ultimately help you feel your very best. The outcome is that you’ll be able to be at your peak for every game!
How can therapeutic massage help athletes?
1. You’ll experience less muscle soreness and tension.
As an athlete, you should expect muscle discomfort, tightness, and pain. While the most well-known effect of massage is muscle relaxation, it takes on a whole new meaning for an athlete. The good news is that regular therapeutic massage can greatly reduce these problems.
Even after you’ve completed a physical therapy program following a sports-related injury, you might benefit from regular massages with your physical therapist. Ongoing treatment can only benefit you in the long run, and keep your muscles from tightening up.
2. It can increase blood circulation.
Better circulation means that your muscles get enough blood supply to prevent stiffness and tension. Your muscles will work and feel better after a therapeutic massage!
3. You’ll see positive changes in your posture.
Massage therapy aids in the proper alignment of your body. Massage, when combined with other forms of physical therapy, can significantly improve your posture. Better posture has a number of advantages for athletes because it allows your body to move and perform at its best all of the time. This means you have a natural advantage when playing your favorite sport (which could lead to more wins for your team!)
4. Got scar tissue? Not anymore!
Any time you receive an injury, your body will form adhesions — bands of tough scar tissue — around the injury. These adhesions will end up restricting your movement, result in some serious inflammation and pain, and can delay your recovery for a very long time if they go left untreated. Your physical therapist’s massage techniques can deal with those adhesions very efficiently.
A licensed therapist can use specific techniques that target and break up the adhesions. In turn, this will loosen and unbind your muscles. Massage is a very important part of your physical therapy program because being adhesion-free is important for relieving pain and restoring a proper range of motion.
5. It can strengthen your immune system.
Athletes can be severely harmed by becoming ill. Even a single cold or virus can keep you off the field for weeks, not to mention that you’ll be performing at a lower level for a while thereafter.
The natural defenses of your immune system can be boosted by physical therapy massage. When you get a massage, your body’s “natural cytotoxic potential” begins to activate. This means you’ll be better equipped to combat hazardous bacteria, germs, and illnesses, which means you’ll be sick less frequently.
Request an appointment today!
If you’re looking for safe, effective, and non-invasive treatment solutions for pain and sports-related injuries, or if you just want to improve your sports performance levels, call our physical therapy team now to get started with an expert at Orthopedic Sports Therapy in Tempe or Phoenix.
Your therapist will assess your condition, look at your medical history, pinpoint the source of your pain, and be able to create a totally customized treatment plan with massages and targeted stretches to help get you back on your feet and in the game. Contact us today to learn more!
