Sports Massage Therapy

A sports massage therapist is a trained and certified specialist. To be a sports massage therapist, one must be certified in sports massage therapy from a school that is accredited by the American Massage Therapy Association/Commission on Massage Training Accreditation/Approval (AMTA/COMTAA) or their State Board of Education. It is also common for therapists to complete the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork.

The purpose of a sports massage is to work the deep tissues of the body in order to eliminate toxins in muscle fibers and minimize the buildup of scar tissue. A massage helps to restore range of motion and flexibility by lengthening the muscles. It also contributes to improved circulation for better cell nutrition, greater elasticity of muscle fiber, and it reduces a patient's recovery time.

A sports massage can be performed before, during or after physical activity. Pre-activity massages warm up the muscles by making them flexible for performance. Post-activity massages are meant to relieve muscle soreness, reduce swelling, maintain flexibility and remove lactic acid by increasing blood flow. In the event of an injury, sports massage is used as a rehabilitation tool. It can minimize the appearance of scar tissue and help an athlete to regain flexibility and strength.

A sports massage therapist uses techniques that direct pressure towards the heart to increase venous and lymphatic flow. Specialized strokes are used to make sure that excess pressure does not cause damage to blood vessels.

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