Pre Event

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A pre event massage is used before activity to prepare the body for exercise. A pre event massage can be beneficial before training or important competitions. A pre event massage can be adapted to sporting context or personal preference. A stimulating pre event massage uses tapotement massage techniques such as hacking, kneading and beating and pounding. A stimulating pre event massage is vigorous and prepares people mentally for performance. A pre event massage can also be a relaxing experience. A relaxing pre event massage aims to decrease stress levels and calm nerves before important competitions or races. Our massage therapists working at Physio.co.uk provide pre event massages for a range of circumstances.

What type of massage is used pre event?

There are many types of massage that can be used pre event. The types of massage used for pre event are:

Customer receiving leg stretches while in a relaxed position

When can massage help pre event?

Massage is used commonly for pre event or before exercise. Massage can help treat pre event on many circumstances. These circumstances include:

Above: Deep tissue massage of rectus femoris and soleus in pre event massage

A pre event massage can be used to help reduce stress. Before exercise or competitions, adrenaline increases and emotions of stress and anxiety rise. High levels of stress and anxiety can have a negative effect on the body and affect performance badly. Increased stress can also result in high muscle tone. High tone reduces flexibility and function of the muscles and will therefore affect athletic performance negatively. Massage is an effective tool used on the muscles before activity to reduce stress mentally and physically. A pre event massage stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system in the body that regulates the body's relaxed state. A massage also decreases the stress hormone from being released and controls the levels of adrenaline. A massage helps physically before exercise by increasing the temperature of muscles so that they are relaxed and more flexible.

A massage before exercise is effective to reduce tight muscles. Tight muscles can occur for many reasons including poor posture, stress and exercise. Overtime, the effects of tight muscles increase tension and lead to muscle spasm and pain. Tight muscles affect the range of movement around a joint. When joints are limited for a period of time, muscles, fascia, ligaments and tendons lose extensibility. The lack of flexibility within soft tissues can lead to chronic pain and injuries. It's important to treat tight muscles before exercise to prevent injuries and help enhance performance. A pre event massage uses a variety of massage techniques to increase blood circulation into the muscles, increase temperature and improve tissue elasticity.

Pre event massage can help ease acute pains. A pre event massage helps decrease pain by increasing blood circulation, loosening muscles and stimulating the pain gate theory. Many techniques can be used pre event to target acute pain. These techniques include effleurage, petrissage and tapotement. A pre event massage helps increase blood circulation to the muscles by creating friction against the skin. An increase of blood circulation delivers oxygen and nutrients that will contribute to repairing any damaged cells.

What are the physiological effects of receiving a massage pre event?

Massage for pre event has many physiological effects. The physiological effects of massage for pre event are:

Above: Pre event massage of trapezius and rhomboid muscles

Massage is used to increase temperature of the muscles before exercise to prepare the muscles for activity. The superficial friction against the skin which occurs during massage creates local heating. Increased heat increases more blood flow to the tissues. The increase of blood enhances the delivery of oxygen and nutrients that are needed to repair muscle tissues. Increasing temperature of the muscles, loosens and elongates muscle fibres so that movement is easier.

Massage decreases the hormone cortisol. Cortisol is a stress hormone that is released from the brain and causes emotions of stress, adrenaline and anxiety. Before exercise or important competition, the body becomes nervous. The cortisol hormone is increased and stress levels are maximised. Massage stimulates the release of positive and relaxed hormones such as endorphins, serotonin and dopamine. As these hormones are stimulated, cortisol is reduced and is overridden with feel good hormones therefore reducing the psychological and physiological effects.

Massage also helps increase tissue elasticity. Tissue elasticity is the amount of movement there is within the muscle tissues. Increased tissue elasticity allows more flexibility, prevents injuries and increases range of movement around a joint. Massage increases tissue elasticity by increasing the temperature of muscles and allowing them to relax. When muscles are relaxed, muscles tissue can be stretched and elongated through massage techniques.

What are the benefits of receiving a massage pre event?

There are many benefits of receiving a massage pre event. The benefits of a pre event massage are:

A pre event massage can help maximise performance. A pre event massage can be completed anytime from two days until immediately before a sporting event or training. A massage before activity helps enhance performance for many reasons including increased blood supply, joint mobility, improved mental outlook and stretched tissues. Increasing blood supply before activity is important to help increase local heating into the muscles. Increasing temperature of the muscles can help them perform better and limit the chances of injury. Having a massage before an athletic performance can assist with mobility of joints. Looser, more flexible joints is an advantage to performance.

One benefit of a pre event massage is increased flexibility. A pre event massage can help increase muscle flexibility by increasing the temperature of the muscles and increasing muscle elasticity. A pre event massage uses a wide range of techniques to increase the temperature. Pre event techniques such as effleurage and petrissage create friction against the skin and stimulate an increase of blood circulation around the muscles. An increase of temperature loosens muscle fibres so they are able to move more freely and increase muscle elasticity. Increased muscle elasticity allows muscles to be more flexible and can contribute to enhanced performance. Increasing muscle length also prevents injuries from occurring as they provide increased movement around a joint. A pre event massage can help to relax an athlete before training or competitive activity. The body prepares physically and mentally for high pressure activities by releasing a cortisol hormone and increasing stress levels. The body being in a stressful state can have a negative effect on performance. A pre event massage can help reduce cortisol from being released, relax muscles and stimulate feel good hormones.

Summary

A pre event massage can be performed immediately before or leading up to activity. Our massage therapists at Physio.co.uk can adapt a pre event massage dependent on the patient's goal. Many types of techniques can be used to provide a pre event including hacking, kneading and beating and pounding. A pre event massage is highly effective in decreasing stress levels, tight muscles and acute pain. There are also many benefits of receiving a pre event massage that include maximised performance, increased flexibility and increased relaxation.