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Posted on: October 19, 2012

Over time, participating in competitive sports can be very hard on the body. Many athletes incorporate massage therapy into their training regimen to help ease their aches and pains. While massage can be an effective sports medicine technique when used to relieve ailing muscles, many athletes also use massage to improve their performance and versatility.

Like most people who seek out massage therapy, athletes sometimes use therapeutic massage to promote relaxation and alleviate muscle pain. Because competitive athletics requires strenuous training and is very performance-driven, athletes may have difficulty relaxing. Getting a massage can help an athlete effectively manage stress in high stakes situations, thereby reducing the impact of mental stress on health and performance. If an athlete has a muscle injury, regular massage sessions can offer pain reduction which can directly improve the athlete's physical ability to compete.

Massage therapy can also enhance athletic performance by increasing flexibility and blood circulation. Athletes in virtually all sports tend to generally compete better when their muscles are more flexible. Greater flexibility also reduces the risk of injury. Massage therapy increases flexibility by stretching the muscle fibers. The pressure applied during a massage also stimulates blood circulation and increases the flow of nutrients to the muscles. Massage also is believed to trigger fatigued, overworked muscles to build more mitochondria to promote healing and recovery.

Proven to improve health and performance and increase relaxation, the advantages of incorporating massage therapy into an athlete's regimen are numerous. With the help of regular massages, athletic competitors are able to train better, recover quicker, and oftentimes compete harder. Fortunately, virtually anyone from any athletic background can enjoy the benefits implementing massage into his or her training program.

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