Sports Massage for Skiers & Snowboarders

The Benefits of Sports Massage for Skiers and Snowboarders

Massage is quickly being recognised as not only a relaxation method but an incredibly beneficial tool on a physical level for the body. Sports massage is now used by those training and pushing themselves physically in all sports and not only for recovery and rehabilitation but also for prevention and improving performance. We recently caught up with Bev from Massage Morzine to talk about the benefits of sports massage for skiers and snowboarders. Bev is a highly qualified & trained Sports Therapist and in 2012, Bev was part of the London Olympics Medical team, providing Sports Massage for the Olympic rowers and sprint canoeists. She is also very experienced in working with skiers and snowboarders, providing massage for many professionals in the industry and top  athletes.

Sports massage is not only for the injured, but it can also offer a range of benefits to uninjured individuals who are looking to enhance their sporting performance or just to have muscles feeling normal again after a hard day on the slopes!

After a few ski or snowboard days I am pretty sure you will be feeling your legs aching and have some residual stiffness in your back and calfs too. It is not too late to get some relief and have your body feeling relaxed again! All you need is a good Sports Massage which can really help by increasing flexibility in muscles which have tightened. Massage stretches muscle tissue in a multidirectional manner, both longitudinally and laterally. It can also have a similar effect on the muscular sheath and surrounding fascia, allowing a beneficial release of stored tension and pressure and enabling blood flow to return to normal again.

Not only can Sports Massage increase flexibility but it can also help prevent injuries by addressing those niggles and imbalances in the muscles i.e. strength, weakness, flexibility and tightness. A tight muscle one day can be a torn muscle the next day if ignored. Just think about how long you would hold a squat for? Now think about the longest ski run you have skied and how long did you hold that squat for? It is not surprising that your legs are tired at the end of a ski day and a bit imbalanced!  A good Sports Massage will iron out these imbalances and your therapist will advise you on some exercises to keep your muscles balanced whilst on your skiing/boarding holiday.

If you need more persuasion as to why your body really needs a Sports massage then think about enhanced micro circulation. Massage enhances the blood flow to the tissues of the target muscles in a similar manner to exercise. In addition to this, massage also causes blood vessels to dilate enabling oxygen and nutrients to pass through more readily to these recovering muscles. I am sure you have a great appetite when on a ski holiday after burning many calories, but if your muscles are not relaxed then these nutrients from all that lovely food will not reach the target muscles you rely on whilst on the hill!.

For those who really need a massage because that staircase is painful to walk down every day (poor thigh muscles have taken a beasting), help is on the way. Sports Massage can assist in inhibition of pain. A combination of tension and waste products within a muscle can often result in the sensation of pain which massage lessons. It reduces this painful feeling by its ability to reduce tension and remove waste products. It also encourages the release of endorphins which are the bodies natural pain killers.

Lastly, but definitely not least, there are also psychological benefits from a Sports Massage in the form of reduced anxiety levels. Through stimulating a relaxation response, massage has the additional benefit of lowering anxiety levels, creating a mood enlightening experience, leaving you ready to tackle the hill and everything it throws at you whilst on holiday. Just what you need if your mates or family are encouraging you to ski just that little bit beyond your comfort zone!

Whatever your reason for a Sports Massage I am sure you will find Bev and her team at Morzine Massage to be excellent! Bev and her team are available to massage at our chalets in Morzine for our guests. For more information or to book a massage whilst on holiday here in Morzine, visit the website www.morzinemassage.co.uk or email [email protected] or call +33 (0)667 524 936.

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