[E284]Equine Sports Massage Therapy

There are many types of therapeutic massage, such as Swedish massage, Shiatsu, and there is also more specific sports massage which you can learn at a massage school. Sports massage is geared toward athletes, whether professional or not. However, it is most commonly carried out by licensed massage therapists with professional athletes.

Sports massage originated with the ancient Greeks and Romans. They would combine massage and exercise for training their athletes. Many Asian cultures have combined this type of massage for dancers and those that practice martial arts. It is becoming more and more common all of the time, which is why you now see more massage therapy schools and massage therapy colleges offering massage therapy degrees and other lower level courses to train licensed massage therapists to provide the very best services for their client.

Sports massage is a blend of Shiatsu and Swedish massage; it is geared toward professional athletes and others who are injured in the course of playing sports or who want to enhance their flexibility and strength and thus better their sporting performance.

Sports massage is a unique massage that helps the body condition and restore itself which is why you, as a licensed massage therapist really need to learn this specific technique at one of the many massage schools you will now find around the world, even in beautiful Maui. For those in athletics, sports massage carried out by a licensed massage therapist can relieve pain for troublesome areas too. Many athletes will have a sports massage before an event to prepare, or after to relax. There are great massage therapy jobs to be had with really famous people if you study hard at massage therapist school and become very good at sports massage and other forms of therapeutic massage such as reflexology massage, acupressure and even hand massage; they all have their different uses.

Should the athlete have a troublesome area of their body, such as with a recurring injury, the sports massage will be targeted on that specific problem. Sports massage increases flexibility, helps fight fatigue, motivates and even prevents injury.

How does it do this? Sports massage as carried out by licensed massage therapists is a balanced form of therapeutic massage, training the body through stimulating muscles tissue; doing this will reduce the stress and muscle tension that build up in the body. Sports massage literally restores the body when it is overworked. However, sports massage is not only performed when there is injury or tension. Many involved in athletics have this type of massage on a regular basis. It is part of their training. It can improve their athletic performance and helps retain their health.

There are many health benefits that come from sports massage by a licensed massage therapist who has been to massage school and obtained massage therapy degrees or other qualifications. It can reduce blood pressure, increase blood circulation, relieve pain and calm the body in a restorative manner. It recovers the body. When the body is massaged in this way, the joint and muscle tissues are strengthened and even restored.

One way to think of sports massage is daily physical therapy. Physical therapy promotes restoring and maintaining health in muscles. This is what sports massage does as well. Sports massage also uses Shiatsu technique. Although sports massage, Shiatsu and other massages are often lumped into the same category of therapeutic massage, there are differences. In Shiatsu massage there is a combination of a relaxation and restorative technique. It has the purpose of relaxing and relieving the body of stiffness, tension and muscle soreness.

Sports massage also uses the technique of acupressure. This is where different points of the body affect various areas and functions. It is used to maintain overall health, dealing with the inner and outer anatomy. What makes Sports massage different, is that the focus in on the muscles and outer performance enhancement.

Sports massage improves performance, through stimulating muscles in a restorative way. This is done through deep tissue work, muscle energy exercises and stretching. Anyone can have Sports massage done but check out that you go to a licensed massage therapist who has obtained a qualification through a proper massage school. It is another way to promote and maintain good health.