Training and competing in triathlons is very demanding on your body because it involves repetitive motions sustained over a long period of time. This leaves the body vulnerable to specific overuse injuries that can cause you to lose performance or sustain further injury. Common injuries that can occur during triathlon training and racing are iliotibial band syndrome (runners knee), achilles tendinitis/tendinopathy, calf and hamstring strains, shin splints, plantar fasciitis, ankle sprains, swimmers shoulder and lower back pain. Triathlon places the body under a lot of mechanical, muscular, and mental stress.
Sports Massage for Triathletes:
As a triathlete you need a form of massage specifically designed for your sport. Adding sports massage (massage for triathletes) can improve your performance as well as decrease your chances of getting injured.
Athletes around the world rely on massage as an important part of their training regimen. Sports massage techniques, when used regularly, can increase the blood flow that is needed for recovery. Also, it will improve the range of motion and strength of injured muscles and accelerate their healing process. With a full recovery you will be able to increase your workouts and allow your body to adapt to a higher level of stress.
Sports Massage can:
- Enhance body awareness
- Identify problem areas before they develop into injuries
- Remove trigger points formed as a result of injury
- Relax and stretch muscles
- Improve range of motion
- Restore suppleness and elasticity
- Relieve pain and stress
- Free muscle adhesions and soften scar tissue caused by injury or overuse
- Improve circulation
- Flush out toxins that cause muscle stiffness and soreness
- Relax the body and mine
- Speed recovery and healing from exertion.
Pre-race: Before the race you need a quick treatment that increase your circulation and flexibility, and leave your muscles resilient and ready to go.
Post-race: After a hard race you need a massage that will increase your circulation to speed the removal of fatigue toxins, relieve your muscle spasms and prevent soreness.
Fine-tuning: For regular fine-tuning you need a massage that will search out the areas of biomechanical stress in your muscles and relieve them, before they become problems, enabling you to train harder and more consistently.
Injury Rehabilitation: For injury rehabilitation you need a massage that will speed your healing, increase your range of motion and reduce scar tissue to allow the muscle to expand/contract normally.
