According to the Northwestern Health Science University, massage therapy is defined by the manipulation of soft body tissues, such as the muscle, connective tissue, tendons, and ligaments, to hasten a person's health and well-being. There are many types of massage therapy and people undergo it for different reasons. Therapeutic massage is a general term that illustrates any type of massage modality that helps relieve pain, muscle pain, reduce stress, and work on a specific problem like a frozen shoulder. People often tend to assume therapeutic massage means deep tissue massage. On the other hand, sports massage is a kind of therapeutic massage Which is a systematic manipulation of the soft tissues of the body that concentrate on muscles relevant to a particular sport.

There are many movements and techniques used in sports massages such as Swedish style massage, effleurage (stroking), compression, friction, petrissage ( kneading), tapotement (rhythmic striking), vibration, gliding, stretching, percussion, and trigger points.
Like sports massage techniques, therapeutic massage techniques are the following types such as Swedish Massage,deep tissue massage, full body massage croydon, neuromuscular massage, reflexology, craniosacral therapy lymph drainage, reiki, and hot stone massage therapy.

The benefits of sports massage and therapeutic massage are described below

Benefits of sports massage

The benefits of sports massage can be two types, pre-event massage, and post-event massage. A pre-event massage can help to ease strain or prevent further injury during event time as it is very common for an athlete to have a certain injury or area that is used frequently during physical activity. Relatively, a pre-event massage may also be used to stimulate certain areas of the body in order for the athlete can give a maximal performance. On the other hand, post-event massage occurs when it is completed up to 3 days after physical exercise. It allows the muscles to return to their usual resting lengths as well as helps to prevent DOMS ( delayed onset muscle soreness).
The following benefits have been reported based on experience and observation. Some of them are beneficial to the mind and some of them are to the body as well.

  • Increase flexibility.
  • Increase joint range of motion ( ROM).
  • Reduce muscle tension, muscular pain, and discomfort.
  • Decreased neurological excitability ( nerved more relaxed).
  • Reduce muscle stiffness and soreness after physical activity.
  • Shorten recovery time of post-injury.
  • Hasten range of motion, leading to enhance performance.
  • Boost sleep quantity and quality.

These benefits bring the result of an increase in local blood circulation which helps to flush put chemical irritants and waste products. These fresh blood flows increase the oxygen and nutrient content within the muscle.

Side effect

Approxable side effects of sports massage are tenderness or stiffness for 1 to 2 days after taking the massage. Due to the massage oil, a skin reaction is possible to attempt. But for the most time, skin massage is safe.

Benefits of therapeutic massage

Research has shown that therapeutic massage techniques may boost up in the following ways:

  • Stress, Anxiety, Depression: It can hasten relaxation response, enhances coping mechanisms in patients undergoing treatment for cancer, as well as reduces symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress disorder.
  • Pain control: it controls arthritis, sciatica, fibromyalgia, headaches, and childbirth.
  • Chronic lung disease: It increases respiratory function and decreases anxiety.
  • Digestive: It helps to proper digestion of food
  • Injuries: It can be helpful to overuse and repetitive strain injuries, workplace, and athletic trauma.
  • Improve immune function: Facing cold or other minor illness, you may benefit from it. Research shows that massage therapy can increase the number of lymphocytes which protects your body from diseases. Besides, it can reduce inflammation and cortisol.

Final verdict

We hope that this article will help you to find out which is best for you. If you are an athlete, you must take sports massage to keep your body fit for upcoming events as well as therapeutic massage also to save from diseases and so on. On the other hand, if you aren't an athlete, therapeutic massage will keep you free from disease, anxiety, stress, depression, and injuries.

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