Can Massage Help Athletic Performance?
By Lifan Hung
Licensed & Certified Massage Therapist
Bodywork Las Vegas
Though most people instinctively associate massage therapy with positive benefits, some still consider it solely a periodic luxury. While there is nothing wrong with this, athletes and anyone else with an active lifestyle should take note of specific benefits that bodywork can offer.
When you’ve been in the saddle a bit too long and notice an ache in your lower back; are you a “work through the pain” kind of person? When you find the tension between your shoulders is starting to pinch a nerve, do you suck it up and hope it will work itself out? At some point, when the serious discomfort and the pain is just not going away and it’s starting to impact your ability to train, it might be time to consider scheduling some therapeutic bodywork. However, if you don't know much more about massage than it feels pretty good and it can help relieve discomfort; maybe get you out of some pain; then you might wonder how exactly massage therapy can improve athletic performance. Or, perhaps you’re actually feeling quite good and feel yourself approaching peak condition. Can massage also help you improve your training and performance?
Outlined below are five body systems affected by therapeutic massage; circulation, connective tissues, muscles, nerves, and chemical/hormone levels. A skilled bodyworker can help you develop the right combination of techniques specific to your sport and your training program; but there are also several things you can do at home to affect these areas as well. Understanding how each of these body systems individually effects athletic performance combined with self care options and regular massage sessions can reduce impingements, and create a more ideal environment for the body to reach higher levels of performance.
Circulation
As an athlete, you’re probably very familiar with heart rate. You likely know your resting heart rate, your target heart rate and your ideal heart rate zone when training. The foundation of our circulatory system is blood flow. Blood carries oxygen and nutrients to our cells, especially when the body is working or under stress. During a massage, the mechanical processes of bodywork resemble the pumping action of the heart to enhance circulation throughout the body; but not only of blood, but also lymph.
The lymphatic system also runs throughout the entire body. It moves at a much slower pace than blood and its primary functions are: to carry excess fluids away from body tissues; transport cellular waste products away from your cells that are too large to pass into the blood stream; and play a key role in the immune system. Maintaining effective circulation of both blood and lymphatic flow can significantly reduce tissue swelling while supporting a healthy immune system.
How this affects performance: Effective blood flow nourishes muscles when in use. Effective lymph flow reduces swelling, promotes speedy disposal of cellular and metabolic waste, and improves immune response.
What you can do at home: Massage problem areas to stimulate blood flow to contracted muscles groups. Although exercises like running and cycling are generally great stimulators of the lymphatic system, you can further boost lymphatic flow or reduce swelling by using a technique known as Manual Lymphatic Drainage. For proper effectiveness, seek guidance before trying this technique for the first time.
Connective Tissue
The most abundant body tissue is connective tissue. Found throughout the body, it does exactly what its name implies and connects all the different kinds of tissues in the body. One especially notable form of connective tissue is fascia, which surrounds just about every structure in the body. Think of it as the saran wrap that holds together groups of structures. Mini-saran wrap holds together muscle fibers to form muscle bundles. Larger saran wrap holds together groups of muscle bundles to form muscles tissue, and so on. This saran wrap doesn’t only surround muscles, but bones and organs too. Since fascia is so prevalent throughout the body, it is also involved in nearly every body processes including respiration, metabolism, circulation and more. Under stress, this “saran wrap” layer can thicken and bind, making it difficult for muscles to glide across each other during contraction, thereby impeding muscle function. When muscles are injured, the fascia is also affected; sometimes becoming tight and forming adhesions or scar tissue. Massage aims to soften, rehydrate, and make all connective tissue more pliable.
How this affects performance: Fascia restrictions are sometimes confused with muscle tension, but can be a source of discomfort, pain and impaired movement.
What you can do at home: The simplest exercise for home care is gentle stretching for a sustained period of time (2-5 minutes).
Muscles
While the benefit of massage on muscles structures only happens in conjunction with effects on the other four areas; the benefit of massage on muscles is probably the most well known, and most sought after. Tight, contracted muscles inhibit movement, range of motion and effective circulation. Yet, it’s nearly impossible to avoid muscle tension, strain, or overuse in training for an athletic event or sometimes even in normal day-to-day activities. Massage seeks to normalize muscle length and balance opposing muscles groups
How this affects performance: Tight contracted muscles are weak muscles. Unbalanced muscles groups are prone to injury.
What you can do at home: Pay diligent attention to thorough warm-ups and cool downs with thorough stretching of all major and accessory muscles involved in your activity.
Nerves
When muscles get too contracted; or connective tissue starts to bind; or circulation is restricted to an area of the body, nerves can be impinged, causing temporary or chronic numbness, tingling, or stabbing pain. Our nerves are the communication highway between the brain and the rest of the body. As far as athletic performance goes, the nerves communicate movement to muscles. If a nerve is impeded, the body doesn’t function within its normal range. Movement can become limited. Pain can also be referred to other areas of the body.
How this affects performance: Nerve impediments range from mildly irritating to debilitating - causing immobility or reduced strength and range of motion.
What you can do at home: Avoiding nerve impediments is the best way to go and that means taking good care of the other body systems mentioned here.
Hormones/Chemicals
Massage has as much ability to stimulate muscle and brain activity as it can relax and sedate. The “mix” of hormones and chemicals released by the brain is vital to our sense of well-being and our mood. It is the physical explanation to how we feel from moment to moment, day to day. Mental of confidence, certainty, hope, joy, fear, anticipation, and more, all play a critical role in an athlete’s physical performance.
How this affects performance: Positive mental and emotional states enhance an athlete’s ability to achieve and maintain performance goals, as well as recover from injury.
What you can do at home: Bathes and Jacuzzis can be effective for relaxing and sedating on both a physical and mental level.
The dynamic interplay of all of these body systems working efficiently together is what stays off injury, improves recovery time, and enhances performance. Whether you choose to include massage as part of your training routine, or go with more self-care practices, these are all areas you’ll want to consider delving into to improve athletic performance.