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Stay Fit with Bodywork Therapy Enhance Workout Performance and Recovery with Massage by Marlaina Donato
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herapeutic massage and other bodywork modalities are well-known stress-busters, but they can also hasten recovery after a workout or injury. A little restorative TLC with a bodywork practitioner before or after exercise can combat post-workout soreness and stiffness, maximizing our fitness investments in and out of the gym. Approaches such as Swedish, deep tissue and sports massages, and myofascial trigger point release therapy can boost both blood and lymphatic circulation, giving soft tissues a vital shot of cellular nutrition. Massage modalities affect biochemical processes and on the deepest level, mitochondria—the cell’s energy-producing engines. Research from 2015 published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise shows that massage immediately following injury due to resistance training encourages tissue regeneration.
Tailored Tools “In the context of exercise, someone who trains three to five times per week at a high intensity will likely have a higher level of fitness. However, the demand placed on the soft tissue structures will equally be high, and may require more treatment to offset this. This may vary from once a week to once a month,” says Andy Stanbury, head of soft tissue
MODALITIES TO HELP EASE PAIN AND STRAIN Swedish Massage: Gentle, gliding strokes to stimulate circulation, lower blood pressure and reduce muscle tension. Deep Tissue Massage: Specific, focused massage to break up muscle congestion and reduce restrictions. Sports Massage: Offered at many gyms, physical therapy facilities and recreational sports events for recovery and prevention. Muscle Energy Techniques: Stretching and hands-on techniques that enable gentle muscle contraction to improve joint function and lengthen muscles. Myofascial Release: Modalities that specifically target trigger points in the muscles and fascia to release adhesions, increase oxygen and reduce pain and tightness include the following: Active Release Therapy: May be beneficial for chronic pain due to repetitive movements, especially where muscle weakness, numbness or tingling/burning is experienced in the soft tissues. Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization: Also known as the Graston technique, practitioners use an array of hand-held instruments for deep trigger points in the fascia and muscles—beneficial after injuries and conditions such as piriformis, muscleinduced sciatica and back pain. Myofascial Cupping: A technique that employs cups to create suction on the muscle tissue to move lymph and blood through the area of deep trigger points. 26
Bucks & Montgomery County, PA Edition
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