How can massage improve your performance?

         Regular exercise improves performance. It also causes oxidative stress from free radicals which cause muscle breakdown.  Muscle breakdown byproducts end up in the bloodstream and are toxic to the body.  Some ways they are toxic is a result of the size of the particles and thus the way they move out of the bloodstream into the kidneys and cause damage, or flow out of the blood vessels and into the fluid in between cells.  The debris gets picked up by the lymph system and processed by the lymph glands.  If the debris is not transported out of the body, it can have long term negative effects that include congestion and fatigue.
          Deep tissue/functional massage can loosen the debris or toxins.  A good sports massage helps the body heal itself by increasing blood flow which in turn increases the flow of oxygen to the muscles, eliminating the waste materials from muscle breakdown, releasing muscle tension and trigger points, and realigning muscles, tendons, and fascia to their proper positioning. Sports massage can relieve the stress placed upon your joints, tendons, ligaments and muscles from long training hours. Delayed onset muscle soreness which results from overuse of a muscle or muscle group can be alleviated by deep tissue massage.
          Almost all professional athletes receive regular massages to help improve their performance. The motto of Glendale Sports is that "life is a sport".  Make a call today and get a massage to improve your performance. 623-215-2525.



References:
*Findlay, S. (2012). Sports massage benefits and effects. Sportsinjuryclinic.net
*Hughes, M. (2010). What are the benefits of sports massage therapy. Livestrong.com
*Powers, S.K., & Jackson, M. J. (2008). Exercise-induced oxidative stress: Cellular mechanisms and impact on muscle force production. Journal of applied psysiology 113(3), 510-512.
Picture courtesy of massageqnerd.com