Almost everyone knows that massage therapy can be a great way to relax and relieve built-up tension in the body.  In addition to this, however, massage therapy treatments can also present various benefits for those suffering from sports injuries.

If you’re curious as to what massage therapy can do for your injuries, we’ve prepared this guide to explain some common benefits.  In addition, we’ll also provide additional resources for physiotherapists, podiatrists, acupuncturists, chiropractors, and other similar topics.

Massage Therapy Benefits

Better Circulation

The primary benefit of receiving a massage is an increase in circulation through soft tissue and muscles.  This increased blood flow allows your body to carry more nutrients to overworked muscles resulting in healthier tissue.

Massages are also thought to increase tissue metabolism and general fluid transfer among various muscle groups.  Those suffering from lactic acid buildup will notice a considerable decrease in bodily aches and pains after this waste has been circulated out.

Improved Flexibility

Much like steak or any other type of meat, muscle tissue can be considerably more supple after it has been massaged for an extended period of time.  This is why many folks with stiff joints and tendons will often report feeling looser after receiving a massage.

In addition, this increased range of motion actually improves athletic performance and general muscular power output.  Beyond this, supple muscles are far less likely to tear as they have been conditioned properly to generate and handle considerable force.

Faster Recovery Time

As a result of the increased circulation and metabolic rate produced by massage therapy, athletes will often heal faster from severe injuries.  This is because the damaged muscles and connective tissue will have better access to essential nutrients needed for tissue repair.

Aside from reduced pain, the lower levels of lactic and carbonic acid in the body will also allow faster recovery from workouts in general.  This leads to less downtime and a lower likelihood of muscle atrophy from prolonged rest.

Reduced Muscle Strain

More often than not, injuries are the result of overtraining muscles and overloading the body’s ability to heal itself.  By receiving frequent massage therapy treatments, the overall strain on our muscles is gradually reduced.

This keeps our muscles from reaching their breaking point when we perform intense workouts every day.  Those who dislike sedatives may also find massage therapy to be a viable natural solution to conventional muscle relaxants.

Injury Prevention

When you take all of the aforementioned benefits and combine them, they help decrease the likelihood of sustaining injuries in the future.  This is because massage therapy treatments can prepare our bodies for intense physical activity.

Whether it is by improving our body’s circulation, reducing aches and pains, or making our muscles more supple, massage therapy can offer a ton of unique benefits to help heal and prevent injuries.

Now with that said, massage therapy is still no substitute for physiotherapy, chiropractic adjustments, or podiatrist solutions.  For cases that require more than just time in order to heal, we’d recommend consulting a specialist in conjunction with regular massage therapy.