Therapeutic Massage for the Athlete by Anne L. Childers LMT, owner Indigo Massage & Wellness

Therapeutic Massage can help maintain mobility, improve range of motion, relieve pain, and increase wellness. These benefits are perfect for the athlete that is training for an event. The beginning of Fall in St. Louis finds more people outside enjoying their favorite activities whether it’s running, biking, hiking, golfing, playing tennis, recreation or an organized sport. The welcomed cooler weather allows us to enjoy the activities we love outside.
For a weekend warrior or a training athlete, massage therapy plays a vital role in this increased activity. We recommend therapeutic massage as a part of athletic training to really get the most out of the muscle fibers. As the athlete leads up to the event, the massage right before/the day before would be focused on shorter quicker strokes to prepare the muscle fibers for action. This is not the time that you want to stretch the muscle fibers when you want them to shorten and work most efficiently for you the next day. After an event, such as running a half marathon for example, we recommend waiting 24hrs before receiving any deep tissue techniques. If it is just after an event, we would focus more on lighter Swedish massage techniques with movements towards the heart to relax and lessen muscle soreness after a race. We would also recommend a nice Epsom salt bath at home that night. Many of our athletes choose to wait the 24hrs so they can come in for a deeper more therapeutic massage to work out the tension after the competition. Weekend warriors find that receiving a massage after their weekend activity can really pre-pare them for the work week ahead. Either way, we are here for you for your training and recovery needs. Our athletes have performed iron man events, marathons, bike races, golf tournaments and more, and they have seen an increased swing, more balanced gate, and a more relaxed and focused mindset.

Through an integration of therapeutic massage techniques, the massage therapists at IndigoMassage & Wellness design a massage that is a unique therapy for you. When training for an athletic event, therapeutic sports massage can help both tone the body for physical stress and relax the body during recovery from an event. If the athlete experiences an injury, Therapeutic massage may also be used for rehabilitative purposes after an injury or for pre/post surgery. Let the caring approach and expertise of an Indigo Massage Therapist create an environment for your healing and wellness.
Please visit https://indigomassage.wpengine.com for more information about Therapeutic Massage and
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