Recovery Techniques - Massage Therapy

There are lots of ways to recover from your exercise regimen, and everyone’s body can benefit from some tender loving care (of sorts) after a workout. I intend to discuss more of these in coming posts, but today I wanted to draw your attention to therapeutic sports massage.

Getting after it in the gym every day is great, but without taking care of your body afterward to allow it to recover and prep yourself for your next workout, you’re so much more likely to experience an injury or issue that has the potential to stall your progress and really bum you out. I know for a fact that nobody wants that!

So, we can all agree our bodies need TLC - enter therapeutic sports massage. This is a technique that may not be what you’d consider “tender” exactly, but is “loving care” nonetheless - the effects you experience afterward can be tremendous relief, reduced pain, and increased capability and mobility - basically, it’s for your own good :)

My boyfriend and I were rear-ended pretty badly a few weeks ago, which totaled our car and left us sore and tight in ways we’d never experienced before… As lifelong athletes, we’ve definitely felt our fair share of tight muscles, persistent adhesions, and other good stuff that caused us to pursue body work, but it had been awhile!

This particular circumstance put a different kind of stress on our muscles and bodies than we were used to, but stress from exercise that causes muscles to misbehave is quite similar and the effects can often be dealt with in similar ways… This situation just provided the opportunity for me to address this topic, which I think is important regardless!

So guys, you don’t need to wreck your car to have someone work out your tight, angry muscles - if you’re a habitual exerciser and you have the means to pursue this type of treatment on a regular basis, I would wholeheartedly encourage you to do so. A good manual therapist can really help you stay functional, healthy, and injury-free.

Also, you don’t have to be a hardcore fitness fanatic for this type of treatment to benefit you - everyone, on every program, no matter the intensity, can see improvement from getting treatment. The frequency needed may change as workouts pick up steam, but having an experienced practitioner help to work out the kinks is always a good idea!

My therapist (a beautiful, kind, incredibly talented and warm-hearted woman named Marlo with hands of absolute STEEL) was able to make huge progress on the tension in my neck and shoulders that I’d been carrying around for a few weeks, check it out:

This image is after only the right side had been done. See how far my right shoulder had dropped down and how bound up the left side still is?

This image is after both sides had been addressed. SO much more relaxed!

Just to be clear though, these treatments themselves are not going to be relaxing. You will not fall asleep, you will not likely “enjoy” being on the table. It takes a lot of force and pressure to break up the adhesions in your muscles that allow them to freely operate the way they’re supposed to - so you might have to devote all of your energy to just staying on the table and not jumping off!

My best advice? BREATHE. And keep your eyes on the prize. The effects will be worth the pain on the table! Oh, and don’t go in there super sore (trust me) and don’t be afraid to to take a rest day following your treatment.

Consider it an investment in your future! I really believe you’ll thank me… After it’s over! :D

Have you ever had sports massage? Did you “like” it? Tell me about your experience!

Please feel free to comment, upvote, or resteem :)