Sports Massage - Post-Event

[Guest guest]

You have permission to publish this article electronically

or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are

included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be

appreciated - send to info@....

Title: Sports Massage - Post-Event

Word Count: 572

Author: Lane

Email: info@...

Article URL:

http://www.submityourarticle.com/articles/easypublish.php?art_id=1494

The article is preformatted to 60CPL.

Sports Massage - Post-Event

Copyright 2005 Lane

The purpose of a massage after a major event is simply to

aid the athlete to recover from the activity. This is

achieved by reducing post-exercise soreness,

re-establishing full range of motion and enhancing blood

flow to tight muscles. The length of recovery time from

strenuous competition can be dramatically reduced with a

good post-event massage. Studies have found that

correctly applied massage in the first two hours after

activity can be critical for reducing the effect of delayed

onset muscle soreness (1). Although they could not detect

any change in measured physiological variables, post-event

massage did lower the intensity of delayed onset muscle

soreness. Post-event massage can also be employed after

(heavy) training sessions as well as competition.

The primary goal of post-event massage is very similar to

that of pre-event massage (2), namely promotion of

circulation and to lengthen tight muscles. However, the

difference is that the muscles are now in a state of

congestion and fatigue following maximal effort and

performance. Therefore the objective is to increase the

athlete’s rate of recovery by decreasing soreness and

fatigue, speeding up the removal of metabolic by-products

and relieving the increased tone of the muscles. Please

note that the delayed onset muscle soreness is not caused

by lactic acid build-up as is commonly espoused. Current

research suggests that the delayed soreness may be caused by

- microtrauma of the muscle fibres

- a micro-tearing of the fascia

- the pain-ischemia-pain cycle resulting from overuse,

oedema and inflammation or

- a combination of all of these.

A post-event massage is typically administered for around

10 to 15 minutes. Even 5 minutes on the legs after a City

to Surf type event is beneficial. It is certainly not a

full-body massage. For example, a typical post-event leg

routine might consist of:

- compressive effleurage to calm the nervous system

- compression for spreading muscle fibres and also

enhancing blood flow

- petrissage for easing muscle tension and

- compressive effleurage as a finishing stroke to soothe.

Depending upon the circumstances, the therapist may

consider that some gentle therapeutic stretching may be

appropriate.

When performing post-event massage, the massage therapist

is much more likely to encounter athletes that require

first aid. During the massage the therapist should watch

for cuts, scrapes, blisters, bruises and mild strains and

sprains. However, it should be noted that, depending on

the training of the therapist, providing first aid is

generally not within the scope of practice for massage

therapy. When a sports massage therapist suspects that an

athlete has a problem, they should seek the help of a

qualified medical staff member at the event.

Although most athletes carry out a warm-down routine after

training sessions, they often fail to do so after

competition because of exhaustion, elation or even

disappointment. An effective post-event massage can help

an athlete feel better immediately following a competition.

Along with a big psychological lift, it can allow the

athlete to recover mor quickly. Almost all athletes look

forward to seeing massage therapists at an event because

they know that they will enjoy a well-deserved post-event

massage.

(1) “Massage decreases intensity of delayed soreness”. J.E.

Hilbert, G.A. Sforzo and T. Swensen. British Journal of

Sports Medicine 2003. Issue 37. pp72-75.

(2) “Sports Massage – Pre-Event”. R. Lane.

http://www.innerwestmassage.com.au/sports_massage_pre_event.

php

About the Author:

Lane is a qualified remedial and sports massage

therapist, with a mobile massage practice in Sydney's Inner

West (www.innerwestmassage.com.au). Health fund rebates.

ATMS 13020. Phone 0421 410057