Exercise and Sports Massage
There have been many studies on the effect of massages for athletes. The majority of these studies have had conflicting results. One study that compared professional athletes to controls found no significant differences in the amount of muscle soreness. Another study that examined professional athletes against controls showed a significant improvement in the pain of muscles for athletes who received massage. However there was no noticeable improvement in the condition of athletes who did not receive massage. Another study comparing active athletes with nonathletes showed similar results to the previous studies.
Although there are no conclusive studies proving that the benefits of sports massage on athletic performance However, numerous studies have proven that it can aid athletes in recovering quicker. In one study, researchers discovered that sports massage reduced the recovery time of athletes participating in a high-intensity workout. In another study, participants who performed the maximum workload exercise performed significantly better than controls when given the Sports massage. In a separate study, the therapists who used sports massage had a noticeable improvement in physical performance in overweight adolescent girls.
A study that examined lactic acid production in injured and control groups found no difference between the two groups. However, researchers concluded that the effects of massage depend on the person being given to. Researchers discovered that lactic acids were released at a greater level in the control group than they were during exercise, and were significantly lower after the session. However, the injured group had higher lactic acid level and it remained higher after the session. A possible reason for this finding is the increased production of lactic acids may reduce the threshold for pain of injured patients and result in a greater sense of exertion during exercise.
There are many theories about how sport massage could improve performance in athletics. The faster recovery of athletes from injuries is possible according the physiologists. The same theory suggests that athletes can benefit from stretching the muscles that are superficial to the arms and shoulders to strengthen the muscles. A different theory is that muscles that are shorter and tighter in the lower body can help reduce the recovery period for athletes who participate in explosive sports during competition. And a strong core of abdominal muscles can help prevent spasms and cramps that happen to athletes when they are engaged in strenuous activities.
Aside from the stretching and strengthening of muscles massage can also improve the flexibility of athletes. Stretching muscles can make them more flexible and more open to training and movement. However when athletes continue exercising, the muscles eventually get tighter and limit their motion. In order to overcome the pain in their muscles the athletes must engage in exercises that stretch muscles that are tight. Sports massage can help with this.
Research has shown that during times of intense exercise or high intensity, athletes experience a significant increase in the production of cortisol, a hormone that signals physical stress. Studies have proven that cortisol boosts endurance and strength during low intensity workout. In the study endurance performance was evaluated prior to and after athletes completed 30 sprints. The sprints were recorded to measure muscle twitch activity. Results showed an increase in muscle strength following sprints.
The strength increase in muscles was due to the increased amount of glycogen found in the muscles. Glycogen is the source of energy found in muscles after intense exercise. When the body of the athlete is exposed to high intensity 대전출장마사지 physical exertion it releases large amounts of glycogen to replenish lost energy during sprints. Researchers at the University of Northumbria published a study that demonstrated that short sprints prior to cycling competition resulted in a significant increase in the amount of glycogen in the muscles.
The results of these studies show that massages for sports may be beneficial to athletes during and after vigorous exercise. The studies were done on healthy non-athletes. Before beginning any treatment, consult your physician if you suffer from conditions that alter circulation, such as kidney disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, or any other condition.