Sports massage: care before and after exercise

Sports massage is a common practice among athletes and physical activity practitioners, used to improve performance, prevent injuries and aid muscle recovery. However, to get the maximum benefits from this practice, it is essential to consider specific care before and after exercise. In this article, we'll explore the main precautions to take before and after a sports massage session.

Sports massage before exercise

Sports massage before exercise is a complement to the warm-up, aimed at improving circulation, increasing tissue flexibility and reducing muscular and mental tension to prepare athletes for maximum performance. It has these characteristics:

• It increases the temperature in the areas that will suffer the most wear and tear during exercise.
• It should be carried out up to 30 minutes before the start of exercise.
• The manoeuvres are more intense, fast and localised to activate the muscles and make them more active for exercise.
• The ideal duration is around 10 to 15 minutes, but should not exceed 20 minutes.
• Massage oil is not used, as it can cause discomfort and interfere with athletes' performance.

Sports massage after exercise

Massage after sports activity aims to eliminate toxic waste, reduce pain, restore flexibility and reduce muscle spasms, speeding up recovery and restoring oxygen levels.

• It provides recovery two to three times faster than rest alone.
• Although it doesn't have a fixed duration, it is usually a short massage.
• It serves as a complement to the cool-down process, carried out after that specific routine has been completed.
• It focuses on large muscle groups, with a slower pace and progressive pressure.
• Ideally carried out up to two hours after exercise to avoid delayed muscle stiffness and the accumulation of neutrophils, a precursor to inflammation.

In short, sports massage provides a number of benefits, such as improving blood circulation, reducing muscle tension, preventing injuries, speeding up warm-up and post-exercise recovery, improving athletic performance, relieving stress and mental tension.

Massages with Dona Rosa

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