The Importance of Regular Massage for Fitness Enthusiasts
By Jackie, Owner of Jackie’s Sports Massage
If you’re new to training and the fitness world, you may be wondering when you should incorporate regular massage treatments into your routine. Well, before we dive into strengthening our bodies with exercise, it’s crucial to address tight muscles through massage and stretching to prevent injuries and pain.
In today’s sedentary lifestyle, most of us spend long hours sitting, leading to muscular imbalances throughout our bodies. Tight and weak muscles can cause associated muscles to become overactive or underactive, resulting in muscular dysfunction and pain. When you embark on an exercise program, these tight muscles hinder your training by preventing other muscles from activating properly. Consequently, weak muscles remain weak while tight muscles grow even tighter.
Even if you’re not a competitive or elite-level athlete, tight muscles can develop in anyone. Factors such as stress, prolonged sitting at a desk, exercising without stretching, over-exercising, or wearing improper footwear can all contribute to muscle tightness and potential injury. Regular visits to a professional sports masseuse are necessary to prevent injuries or general muscular pain for anyone at risk.
The old saying, “Prevention is the best cure,” holds true for our muscular health as well. Early intervention in the form of massage therapy is crucial. Our bodies naturally try to avoid pain or discomfort, which means that when tension builds up in our muscles, another muscle will compensate and work harder to alleviate the pressure on the initial tight area. This ongoing muscular tension accumulation can lead to a chain of imbalances throughout your body, often unnoticed until a musculoskeletal problem arises.
Many people mistakenly attribute sudden muscular pain or injury to something they recently did. In reality, such pain is likely the result of years or even decades of muscle tension gradually building up. This could have been prevented with early intervention through regular sports massage.
Consider the number of individuals who complain about headaches, back pain, knee pain, and other musculoskeletal issues. Lower back pain, in particular, plagues 70-80% of adults at some point in their lives. Regular massage therapy has the potential to prevent and minimize such pain, accelerating the return to normal function even if an issue does occur.
Unfortunately, many individuals in their 30s, 40s, and 50s experience these complaints simply because they didn’t prioritize regular muscle therapy. When you receive a sports massage from a qualified professional, they will assess your entire body for tension areas that you may be unaware of. It is their responsibility to release those tension spots before they turn into painful injuries or chronic pain.
You may be wondering, “How often should I have a massage if I only occasionally work out?” The answer varies from person to person. Some find that weekly or fortnightly massages are necessary to feel their best, while others do well with once-a-month sessions. At Jackie’s Sports Massage, we recommend an initial assessment, followed by weekly sessions if you are quite tight. The goal is to transition into a monthly maintenance massage program that keeps you pain-free and able to continue your fitness regime without long-term injuries.
As we live longer, healthier lives, it’s essential to ensure our bodies can keep up with our fitness lifestyles. Make sports massage a regular part of your health regime to support your body and prevent injuries. Remember, your physical well-being is just as important as your exercise routine
