|
Sports Therapy
Sports Massage, applied skillfully, is the most effective therapy
for releasing muscle tension These muscle imbalances may develop and often go undiagnosed until they are serious enough to cause the athlete discomfort or impede performance. The skilled massage therapist will be able to detect variations in the soft tissues and by using the correct techniques, help the sports person maintain a much healthier physical state. It may therefore be reasonably claimed that one of the greatest benefits of sports massage is in helping prevent injury.
Massage Techniques
EffleurageEffleurage consists of a variety of stroking movements, usually carried out with the whole palm of the hand and fingers, which may be used with varying pressure according to the purpose and stage reached during the massage. Effleurage is always used at the start of massage.
The basic movements comprise stroking with firm pressure
using a wide surface area of the palm of the hand and fingers. On the return,
the therapists' hands maintain, light contact and avoid the path taken on the
upward stroke. As with all massage, the hands must be relaxed and moulded round
the natural contours of the recipient's body. Effleurage is always used to
commence any massage session and it has a wide range of purposes that you need
to focus on:
Effleurage should be carried out in a rhythmical and relaxed manner starting with light touch at the start of a session and building up to deeper pressure for increased circulation and stretching of tissues later in the massage. It should not be rushed as it is during this phase you need to begin to focus on any abnormalities in the tissues that may require further attention later in the massage. If the movements are performed too quickly, this will not help the client relax and if a "tender" area is missed, it will almost certainly be more painful when discovered using deeper techniques later! Effleurage is also used to complete the massage finishing with light stroking to relax the patient, particularly if movements that are more painful have been used beforehand. PetrissagePetrissage or kneading is used on deeper tissues for mobilising fluids, stretching muscle fibres, and inducing relaxation. Some of these techniques are specifically aimed at only deeper tissue and are therefore both ineffective and difficult to perform on narrow parts of the limbs. You must therefore pay particular attention, as with all massage techniques, as to what your purpose is when kneading petrissage is a powerful technique that is particularly effective in mobilising fluids in very deep muscles and applying a good stretch to the fibres involved. Frictions |
and restoring balance to the musculo-skeletal
system. Received regularly this may help athletes prevent injuries, which might
otherwise be caused by overuse. A constant build-up of tension in the muscles
from regular activity may lead to stresses on joints, ligaments, tendons, as
well as the muscles themselves.
The three main categories of massage that are predominantly
used in sport are effleurage, petrissage and frictions. Almost all massage
techniques are carried out with the main pressure being directed towards the
heart. This helps increase venous and lymphatic flow and ensures that no
pressure of blood is being pushed against closed valves causes any damage to
blood vessels. The only exception to this is where short strokes are aimed at
stretching muscle fibres. Because the strokes are limited, there is no risk of
pressure being built up.
