Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Ease Muscle Spasms More Effectively

I am a housewife and a mother. My injuries relate to children laundry, the everyday duties of taking care of a house and children. I don't have a favorite sport, and interestingly enough, I have gone for a sports massage. I have specific recurring pain, and this is the best massage I have ever had. My husband was reluctant to go for a massage, until I called it a sport massage. He couldn't get there soon enough. This was not a girly day at the spa. It was a manly thing. And he did feel much better (old baseball injury). It can treat frozen shoulders, tender elbow, and pulled hamstring, as well as many other ailments.

Having a sports massage allows the athlete to prepare for the next game. These days it is normal to have one as an athlete. The art of massage is the manipulation of superficial layers of muscle and connective tissue. This is to enhance function and promote relaxation and well-being. It became popular in the US in the 1800s and grew in popularity until the 1930s and 40s. When modern medicine came to the forefront, the art of massage therapy became discounted as lesser than. Suddenly, it became popular again in the 1960s when nurses began to use it to relieve pain in patients. Unusually, in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta it was deemed a core medical service. This gave a new range of remedies to these athletes. This gave more credence to it.



This is not a new medical breakthrough. Massage therapists have practiced this art throughout the world. Chinese records dating back 3,000 years document its use; the ancient Hindus, Persians and Egyptians applied forms of massage for many ailments; and even Hippocrates wrote papers recommending the use of rubbing and friction for joint and circulatory problems. Sports massage and others are done to enhance function and promote relaxation and well-being.

In many sports, a massage will be performed on an athlete either pre-game or post-game. The athlete will perform better during training, as well as training longer and have fewer injuries. Injuries sustained during the event can be repaired with a sports massage.

People are learning the benefits of massage, and there are more and more jobs available in this field. With any massage, special equipment is used when receiving a sports massage. These therapists are self-employed and will have his/her own equipment.

A typical commercial massage table has an easily cleaned, heavily padded surface, and a horseshoe-shaped support for the head that allows one to breathe easily while lying face down and can be stationary or portable. This is cleaned between massages, keeping everything very hygienic. An orthopedic pillow or bolster can be used to correct body positioning. Sometimes, mats are used.

When you next time you feel the ache or pain of any sports injury or just of everyday life try massage. Maybe you haven't considered having a sports massage before you train. Try one to see if it helps. It certainly helps me, and I'm no athlete! Stop by your local spa. See if they have a specialist who will work with you.

You can just run over to your local spa and take some time out for yourself. Whether it be for 30, 45, 60 minutes, a massage of any type will refresh your mind, body and soul but a sports massage may be the one for you.

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