While Swedish massage is used to relax the muscles, sports massage is used to invigorate them before an athletic event. Both massage methodologies use a different set of strokes to obtain these very different goals, but there are a number of similarities built into both methods. Used in tandem, both styles can bolster athletic performance and decrease the possibility of injury. To obtain the maximum benefit, a sports massage should be administered before athletic exertion and a Swedish massage, administered afterward.
The Strokes
The main difference between sports and Swedish massage is they type of stroke utilized during the session. Swedish massage is built around a series of long, fluid strokes that work deep into the muscle to relax the tissue. Sports massage uses a series of much shorter strokes and targeted pressure to energize the muscle without working too deep. While Swedish massage is typically performed directly on the flesh, sports massage can be given through clothes.
Circulation Goals
Although the strokes are different, both massage types share some circulation goals. Each methodology seeks to increase circulation and bring blood to the underlying tissue. In a Swedish massage session, the therapist follows the flow of the circulatory system with his strokes and drains blood and other fluids away from the area. On the other hand, a sports massage brings blood to the area to energize the tissue without taking the next steps to circulate the fluids back into the system, leaving the muscles warmed up for athletic performance.
Injury Prevention
Both sports and Swedish massage seek to prevent muscle injury, but they do this in different ways. The short, percussion-like strokes in a sports massage warm up the tissue, making a muscle tear or pull less likely in the first minutes of an athletic event. A post-event Swedish massage helps correct muscle damage that occurred during the athletic activity – the deep muscle work that is part of Swedish massage seeks to repair small muscle strains and tears that can turn into bigger injuries if neglected.
Mode of Delivery
The therapist addresses many of the same areas of the body during both types of massage, but a typical Swedish massage covers the entire body, while a sports massage targets only those areas that are going to be most engaged during the activity. After a tennis match, a Swedish therapist works the back, arms, legs and torso of a tennis player, while that same player may only need a quick sports massage on his wrists and thighs before the event. This makes the mode of delivery very different – a Swedish massage is administered while the client is lying on a specially-designed table, while a sports massage can be given while the client is standing or seated pretty much anywhere.
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