If you are like millions of Americans, you have resolved to be more active this year. Increasing the amount or intensity of physical activities can result in muscle stiffness and pain, or even injury. Injury and pain are often the reasons many people give up on their fitness resolutions by late January or early February. There are simple and relaxing things you can do to prevent this from happening.
Stretching is the unsung hero of exercise that keeps your muscles flexible, free from injury and feeling young. When combined with regular massage, these two activities support your body post-workout to release accumulated lactic acid that may cause muscle soreness and release any tension that is being held in your muscles.
Injury and Pain Prevention
Stretching not only helps to prevent injury, but it also can help with pain management, according to the American Council on Exercise. Stretching prevents injury by increasing your muscle range of motion while the muscles are already warmed up through exercise. Once the muscles are warm they are less likely to tear or cause further injury. Both stretching and regular massage can help to reduce the severity of post-workout pain and delayed onset muscle soreness, that may show up 24 to 48 hours after an intense workout.
Increased Flexibility
Stretching and massage can help increase flexibility in your muscles, fascia, connective tissue and joints. Maintaining supple and flexible muscles is important throughout life, but especially as your body ages. The muscle and joints have a tendency to grow stiff and inflexible with age, so implementing a regular stretching or yoga routine can really help to alleviate muscle stiffness. Some types of massage — for example, Sports or Swedish massage — actively manipulate the muscles to promote greater flexibility and suppleness.
If you’re looking for a professional massage to help alleviate muscle soreness or promote flexibility post-workout, search for a Swedish or Sports massage therapist. Some styles of massage, such as Shiatsu or acupressure might be too gentle to see benefits on the muscular level since they work more with energy meridians. You won’t always need to see a professional masseuse to reap the benefits of a post-workout massage though. From the comfort of home or the gym you can give yourself a self-massage by kneading and rubbing your major muscle groups — either with massage oil or over your clothes.
Sports Massage Therapy
Sports Massage can be characterized two ways: pre-activity and post-activity massage. Pre-activity uses dynamic stretching to allow the connective tissue to work through a full range of motion, thereby reducing possible injury. Post-activity massage focuses on recovering the muscle tissue that may have been impacted doing the particular sport. It involves long strokes to flush out the toxins that causes soreness in the muscles and joints.
Prevent muscle pain and injury by properly stretching and getting routine massages. With a solid plan, this can be the year you finally accomplish your fitness goals!
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