Massage Can Help Athletes Who Have Been Injured in Petaluma

Athletes are hard on their bodies. It’s not unusual for them to suffer injuries and the discomfort that comes with them. One of the ways to deal with it is to get a massage in Petaluma. An article by Mary Elizabeth Dallas for Medicine Net discusses how a study on animals highlighted the benefits of massage therapy for one who’s been injured:

"We have translated what we thought was going on in humans, largely based on self-reporting, into the laboratory and designed the instrumentation to apply controllable and measurable forces," Dr. Thomas Best, co-director of OSU Sports Medicine, said in a university news release."We found if damaged muscle is massaged right away -- for 15 minutes -- there is a 20 to 40 percent chance of recovery. Initial injury in the animal model was extended if massage did not take place within 24 hours," Best explained in the news release.

Alleviating and expediting the healing of injuries is just the beginning of how massage therapy can help athletes. Easing muscle pain is one reason for them to seek the help of a skilled massage therapist; after all, people who play sports often suffer from muscular pain on a regular basis. Muscular pain can result from strained or overused muscles, and a massage helps prevent injuries by flushing lactic acid out of an or overused area. Additionally, it releases endorphins and hormones to make them feel better. Regularly visiting a Petaluma massage therapist like Amanda Wongsonegoro can help establish a habit that could prove beneficial in the future.

Relaxation is another benefit that athletes appreciate. The field of sports is highly competitive, so mental and emotional stress can be expected. Constant stress, however, can result in bad athletic performance. This can be counteracted by undergoing massage sessions to help lower heart rate, cortisol levels, and insulin levels. Relaxation also gives the body and mind a chance to recover and repair itself, which prepares it for future events.

Massage therapy can also help prevent athletic injuries. Massages work not just on muscles, but the ligaments, tendons, and joints. All function better with regular treatment, leading to improved range of motion. Benefits like these are why athletes should schedule regular massage therapy sessions lasting from an hour to an hour and a half.

(Source: Massage Right After Muscle Injury May Boost Healing, Medicine Net, July 3, 2012)