Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsUsesBenefitsLimitsSide EffectsFind a Therapist
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Uses
Benefits
Limits
Side Effects
Find a Therapist
Sports massage is focused and systematic, targeting muscles that are used in a specific sport. It uses various techniques to decreasemuscle painand improve recovery, as well as improve overall range of motion and flexibility to support safe and effective movement.
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What Is a Sports Massage For?
Various movements and techniques are used to try to help an athlete’s body achieve maximum performance and physical conditioning, with a decreased chance of injury or pain and a quicker recovery.
A sports massage session is specifically tailored to an individual’s needs. Some elements of sports massage are used in otherphysical therapysettings and to treat conditions outside of sports, such ascarpal tunnel syndrome.
Examples of techniques used in sports massage include:
Deep Tissue Massage vs. Sports MassageDeep tissue massage relies on similar sports massage techniques, such as effleurage, but often is used as a firm-pressure massage of the whole body rather than a specific site. However, it may be more focused when used to treatneck or chronic lower back pain, or for pain management during labor and delivery.
Deep Tissue Massage vs. Sports Massage
Deep tissue massage relies on similar sports massage techniques, such as effleurage, but often is used as a firm-pressure massage of the whole body rather than a specific site. However, it may be more focused when used to treatneck or chronic lower back pain, or for pain management during labor and delivery.
Sports Massage Benefits
Many sports massage benefits have been reported on the basis of experience and observation alone. These include:
Purported benefits for which there is limited research evidence include:
Limits of Sports Massage
Some studies have shown a modest benefit in reducingdelayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).Others demonstrate a benefit in reducing lactic acid buildup in muscles when sports massage is used in combination with cold water immersion after exercise.
Additional research has focused on benefits associated with active and passive recovery, with some evidence that passive recovery may be the superior approach.
On balance, study findings on sports massage indicate that while it does not negatively affect performance, its benefits are not quite as clear.
More research is needed on the positive effects of sports massage.
Side Effects of Sports Massage
For the most part, sports massage is safe with very few side effects. For many people, massage can improve overall and physical well-being.
Potential side effects of sports massage include tenderness or stiffness for one to two days after a therapy session.
It’s also possible that you could have askin reactionto the massage oils used.
How Painful Is a Sports Massage?You may feel some discomfort during or after a sports massage, but it should not cause significant pain. If you feel pain beyond what some call “the good kind of hurt,” tell your therapist right away.
How Painful Is a Sports Massage?
You may feel some discomfort during or after a sports massage, but it should not cause significant pain. If you feel pain beyond what some call “the good kind of hurt,” tell your therapist right away.
Finding a Sports Massage Therapist
It is important that you book your sessions with a credentialed sports massage therapist. These practitioners are specially trained to work with people with varioussports injuriesand help prevent future injury related to your sport or activity of choice.
The AMTA recommends asking the following questions:
Summary
Sports massage is used for specific sports-related injuries and performance enhancement. Other potential benefits include reduced delayed muscle onset soreness, lower chance of injury, and quicker recovery.
Find a certified massage therapist if you’re considering getting a sports massage or any other type of massage.
5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Skillgate E, Pico-Espinosa OJ, Côté P, Jensen I, Viklund P, Bottai M, et al.Effectiveness of deep tissue massage therapy, and supervised strengthening and stretching exercises for subacute or persistent disabling neck pain. The Stockholm Neck (STONE) randomized controlled trial.Musculoskelet Sci Pract. 2020;45:102070. doi:10.1016/j.msksp.2019.102070Smith CA, Levett KM, Collins CT, Dahlen HG, Ee CC, Suganuma M.Massage, reflexology and other manual methods for pain management in labour.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018;3(3):CD009290. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD009290.pub3Davis HL, Alabed S, Chico TJA.Effect of sports massage on performance and recovery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med.2020;6(1):e000614. doi:10.1136/bmjsem-2019-000614Romadhona NF, Sari GM, Utomo DN.Comparison of sport massage and combination of cold water immersion with sport massage on decrease of blood lactic acid level.J Phys: Conf Ser. 2019;1146:012012. doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1146/1/012012Fennell CRJ, Hopker JG.The acute physiological and perceptual effects of recovery interval intensity during cycling-based high-intensity interval training.Eur J Appl Physiol. 2021;121(2):425-434. doi:10.1007/s00421-020-04535-xAdditional ReadingKennedy AB, Patil N, Trilk JL.‘Recover quicker, train harder, and increase flexibility’: massage therapy for elite paracyclists, a mixed-methods study.BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2018;4(1):e000319. doi:10.1136/bmjsem-2017-000319Mine K, Lei D, Nakayama T.Is pre-performance massage effective to improve maximal muscle strength and functional performance? A systematic review.Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2018;13(5):789-799.
5 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Skillgate E, Pico-Espinosa OJ, Côté P, Jensen I, Viklund P, Bottai M, et al.Effectiveness of deep tissue massage therapy, and supervised strengthening and stretching exercises for subacute or persistent disabling neck pain. The Stockholm Neck (STONE) randomized controlled trial.Musculoskelet Sci Pract. 2020;45:102070. doi:10.1016/j.msksp.2019.102070Smith CA, Levett KM, Collins CT, Dahlen HG, Ee CC, Suganuma M.Massage, reflexology and other manual methods for pain management in labour.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018;3(3):CD009290. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD009290.pub3Davis HL, Alabed S, Chico TJA.Effect of sports massage on performance and recovery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med.2020;6(1):e000614. doi:10.1136/bmjsem-2019-000614Romadhona NF, Sari GM, Utomo DN.Comparison of sport massage and combination of cold water immersion with sport massage on decrease of blood lactic acid level.J Phys: Conf Ser. 2019;1146:012012. doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1146/1/012012Fennell CRJ, Hopker JG.The acute physiological and perceptual effects of recovery interval intensity during cycling-based high-intensity interval training.Eur J Appl Physiol. 2021;121(2):425-434. doi:10.1007/s00421-020-04535-xAdditional ReadingKennedy AB, Patil N, Trilk JL.‘Recover quicker, train harder, and increase flexibility’: massage therapy for elite paracyclists, a mixed-methods study.BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2018;4(1):e000319. doi:10.1136/bmjsem-2017-000319Mine K, Lei D, Nakayama T.Is pre-performance massage effective to improve maximal muscle strength and functional performance? A systematic review.Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2018;13(5):789-799.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Skillgate E, Pico-Espinosa OJ, Côté P, Jensen I, Viklund P, Bottai M, et al.Effectiveness of deep tissue massage therapy, and supervised strengthening and stretching exercises for subacute or persistent disabling neck pain. The Stockholm Neck (STONE) randomized controlled trial.Musculoskelet Sci Pract. 2020;45:102070. doi:10.1016/j.msksp.2019.102070Smith CA, Levett KM, Collins CT, Dahlen HG, Ee CC, Suganuma M.Massage, reflexology and other manual methods for pain management in labour.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018;3(3):CD009290. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD009290.pub3Davis HL, Alabed S, Chico TJA.Effect of sports massage on performance and recovery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med.2020;6(1):e000614. doi:10.1136/bmjsem-2019-000614Romadhona NF, Sari GM, Utomo DN.Comparison of sport massage and combination of cold water immersion with sport massage on decrease of blood lactic acid level.J Phys: Conf Ser. 2019;1146:012012. doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1146/1/012012Fennell CRJ, Hopker JG.The acute physiological and perceptual effects of recovery interval intensity during cycling-based high-intensity interval training.Eur J Appl Physiol. 2021;121(2):425-434. doi:10.1007/s00421-020-04535-x
Skillgate E, Pico-Espinosa OJ, Côté P, Jensen I, Viklund P, Bottai M, et al.Effectiveness of deep tissue massage therapy, and supervised strengthening and stretching exercises for subacute or persistent disabling neck pain. The Stockholm Neck (STONE) randomized controlled trial.Musculoskelet Sci Pract. 2020;45:102070. doi:10.1016/j.msksp.2019.102070
Smith CA, Levett KM, Collins CT, Dahlen HG, Ee CC, Suganuma M.Massage, reflexology and other manual methods for pain management in labour.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018;3(3):CD009290. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD009290.pub3
Davis HL, Alabed S, Chico TJA.Effect of sports massage on performance and recovery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med.2020;6(1):e000614. doi:10.1136/bmjsem-2019-000614
Romadhona NF, Sari GM, Utomo DN.Comparison of sport massage and combination of cold water immersion with sport massage on decrease of blood lactic acid level.J Phys: Conf Ser. 2019;1146:012012. doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1146/1/012012
Fennell CRJ, Hopker JG.The acute physiological and perceptual effects of recovery interval intensity during cycling-based high-intensity interval training.Eur J Appl Physiol. 2021;121(2):425-434. doi:10.1007/s00421-020-04535-x
Kennedy AB, Patil N, Trilk JL.‘Recover quicker, train harder, and increase flexibility’: massage therapy for elite paracyclists, a mixed-methods study.BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2018;4(1):e000319. doi:10.1136/bmjsem-2017-000319Mine K, Lei D, Nakayama T.Is pre-performance massage effective to improve maximal muscle strength and functional performance? A systematic review.Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2018;13(5):789-799.
Kennedy AB, Patil N, Trilk JL.‘Recover quicker, train harder, and increase flexibility’: massage therapy for elite paracyclists, a mixed-methods study.BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2018;4(1):e000319. doi:10.1136/bmjsem-2017-000319
Mine K, Lei D, Nakayama T.Is pre-performance massage effective to improve maximal muscle strength and functional performance? A systematic review.Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2018;13(5):789-799.
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