Although anyone can get a massage whenever they feel like it, as a luxury, to athletes and people enthusiastic about exercising, a massage is necessary. A pre-massage that happens before intense training or sporting activity ensures they are relaxed before the event.
On the other hand, a post-massage helps them relax their muscles and get rid of tension and knots due to the training or game. So between a pre-event massage and a post-event massage, which one do you need most? The answer is both, and here are the reasons why:
Benefits of Pre-Event Massage
10 to 15 minutes is the recommended time for a pre-event massage because you don’t want the athletes’ muscles to be sore as they participate. The athlete is already well prepared for the event, so the physiotherapists need to help them relax and be in a reasonable frame of mind as the game starts.
Thus a deep tissue massage is out of the question because it may make their muscles sore or painful depending on the athletes’ sensitivity to pressure. Here is a few techniques physiotherapy in Singapore can use for you right before the game:
- Compression helps increase blood flow
- Stretching helps the athletes to prepare for warm-up
- Friction helps create heat that warms up the superficial tissue
Encourage the athlete and assure them that their muscles feel good and they are ready to perform. However, each person is unique, so the massage therapists should observe the athlete and customize the pre-event massage as per their needs.
Benefits of Post-Event Massage
Once the activity is done, every athlete should schedule a post-massage, but people have their preferences for time. It mainly involves a deep tissue massage where some prefer it immediately after the event; others prefer up to 24 hours later.
A post-event massage is longer than a pre-event massage because the therapist removes tension and knots formed during the event. It is also ideal for any injuries you get during the event as long as you work on flushing out the toxins that build up in your muscles.
You should cool down after the event and rehydrate properly before the post-event massage, as this helps in the effective flushing of toxins.
Any pain or soreness should be addressed during this session so that you can recover fast and return to training. So the physiotherapist should address all scapes, wounds, strains, and sprains. You may experience muscle cramping during this massage because your body is still recovering from the intense activity.
Conclusion
As an athlete, you cannot afford to neglect your body because it can cost you your career, and that is why getting a massage is essential. Ensure that you schedule a massage session before any event so that your therapist can help you relax and be in the right mindset for the game.
Additionally, do not miss a post-event massage because it will help you with your recovery journey, and so you will be in the field ready for training within no time.