Massage therapy is a great way to recuperate from injuries faster and can be vital for helping athletes reach peak physical fitness when playing sports. However, too much manipulation of sensitive areas and injured muscles is actually detrimental to the body's natural recovery process.
When too much pressure is applied, your muscles take an additional beating that can lead to more bruises, nerve damage, and trauma. This pain can last days after your massage, and neither you nor your massage therapist would certainly want that.
Regular deep tissue massages, potentially on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, can help prevent injuries, reduce muscle soreness, and enhance overall performance. This frequency ensures that muscle knots and trigger points are addressed promptly, supporting optimal athletic function.
Yes, it is possible to over-massage a tense muscle. While massage can help relieve muscle tension and improve circulation, excessive pressure or prolonged massage can lead to soreness, bruising, or even injury. Signs of over-massage include: Increased pain or discomfort Muscle spasms Swelling or bruising.
An acute injury is a sudden, sharp, traumatic injury that causes pain. Typically the result of an impact or trauma such as a fall, strain, sprain or collision. Massage shouldn't be performed on the injured site because it encourages circulation and can increase swelling during the body's initial response to injury.
Certain skin conditions, such as open wounds, burns, rashes, or contagious skin infections (like impetigo or fungal infections), should not be treated with massage. Even non-contagious skin conditions like psoriasis or eczema may be aggravated by massage if not handled carefully.
Muscle Recovery
Massage will help your muscles heal. Rubbing the muscles and using pressure facilitates circulation by breaking up congested areas and then allowing a flush of blood with the release of pressure. This increase in blood flow to muscle tissue feeds your cells both oxygen and nutrients.
Massage therapy is a great way to recuperate from injuries faster and can be vital for helping athletes reach peak physical fitness when playing sports. However, too much manipulation of sensitive areas and injured muscles is actually detrimental to the body's natural recovery process.
A two-hour session may seem to be a little extreme to some, but seasoned massage connoisseurs love it! It's not recommended for newbies to massage. Your therapist can provide specific Ashiatsu Barefoot Massage, Deep Tissue work, Cupping, and even some stretching and Range Of Motion within this massage length.
It's important to know that it isn't unusual to feel a degree of discomfort during the massage itself. The whole point of this treatment is to break up muscle tension, adhesions and scar tissue that often lie in deeper musculature, so your therapist will likely be applying a good deal of pressure.
Massaging a strained muscle helps to increase blood flow to the muscle, which in turn helps to reduce inflammation and break up any scar tissue or knots in the muscle; studies have also shown that improved blood flow helps to increase muscle temperature, resulting in improved muscle elasticity and flexibility.
A weekly or bi-weekly session could prevent these knots from escalating. Conversely, severe knots, causing considerable pain and restricted movement, may require more frequent attention, possibly two to three sessions per week initially. Knowing the severity is key in how often you should get a massage for knots.
Stretching can help you heal from a muscle strain, as long as it's not severe. Stretching can also help when healing a new muscle contusion. For example, our athletic trainers often recommend simultaneously icing and stretching quad contusions right after the injury.
Massage relaxes the muscles, separating and loosening muscles fibres. The muscles are elongated and stretched which releases tension and allows more movement. Massage reduces tightness by applying pressure to knots and breaking adhesions. Pressure points can be used to force out knots in the muscle.
Experiencing sharp pain or excessive discomfort during or after the session is a clear indication that the massage wasn't beneficial. While some discomfort can be normal, especially with deep tissue massage, it should never cross the line into sharp pain.
"Working out when sore is okay as long as it isn't affecting your movement to the point where it's causing you to compensate and do something in a way that's unsafe," says Dr. Hedt. "Muscle soreness can be a deterrent to exercising, but it's temporary and the more you exercise, the less you should feel it.
Overdoing deep tissue massages can lead to muscle damage, increased soreness, inflammation, and bruising. Moderation and professional guidance are crucial to avoid these risks.
A one hour massage is equal to 7-8 hour sleep.
Studies have shown that a one hour massage equates to about 7-8 hours' sleep for your body. So if you are feeling run down and exhausted, perhaps your body is just begging you for a massage?
It takes a good 48 hours for the system to rebalance after a deep massage, so at least a two day gap between massages is ideal. The frequency of sports massage is dependent on ones training schedule, however regular massage can help to maintain range of movement, flexibility and health of muscles.
Injury Risk: Applying excessive pressure can cause bruising, inflammation, and even muscle or tissue damage. This can lead to prolonged recovery times and exacerbate existing issues.
You can massage muscle knots every day, but don't over-do it as this could actually cause more irritation. Sometimes muscle knots can go away on their own, but a massage is definitely the fastest and most effective way to loosen the muscle and get rid of muscle knots. Prevention is always better than cure!
Reasons why you feel sore after a massage
“It forces blood into your muscles and helps bring in nutrients. This process can temporarily increase inflammation in areas that the body feels need attention.”
When you massage a knot, it often feels like you are stretching a rope or taffy which is stuck in your muscle tissues. This may be a result of increased blood flow to the site of tension, but it also may be due to the relaxation of the connective tissue that surrounds your muscles (called fascia).
Soreness is considered normal if it occurs between 24-72 hours after a workout, and if it does not prevent you from completing normal daily activities. If it lasts longer than this, or is so intense that it prevents you from functioning normally, it could be a sign of significant damage.