Sports massage can enhance performance by reducing muscle fatigue, increasing flexibility and promoting tissue repair. It facilitates the removal of metabolic waste products such as lactic acid and encourages oxygen delivery to tissues for tissue repair.
The hamstring is a group of three muscles that run from the lower part of your pelvic bone down to your knee. Massage can be an effective treatment for hamstring injuries.
Stretching
The hamstring muscle group begins below the lower part of your pelvic bone and extends down to your knee. It’s a muscle that’s often tight and injured in runners, football players and other athletes. Massage can help relax the hamstrings and improve flexibility.
Stretching is a good idea before and after sports or workouts. It can help prevent injuries and reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness.
Ofori-Atta likes a simple hamstring stretching technique: Lie down on the floor, then slide your hips closer to the wall with the leg you want to stretch extended straight up against it. Then, move the leg away from the wall as you gently pull it until you feel a mild tension in the hamstring. Repeat two to three times.
Pfeifer favors a standing dynamic hamstring stretch that involves using a resistance band. Stand with the leg you wish to stretch bent on the floor, then place a resistance band around your foot.
Deep Tissue Massage
Massage therapy increases the body's circulation, facilitating the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to muscles and tissues. This boost in muscle function enables them to better withstand physical exertion and fatigue, reducing their risk for injury.
Deep tissue techniques employ slow strokes and direct pressure on the muscles to release chronic tension. The therapist may also use friction movements that go across the grain of the muscles. This breaks down adhesions (bands of painful, rigid tissue) and restores normal movement.
Regular massage is also effective for preventing hamstring injuries. Aside from releasing tension, it enhances muscle strength by breaking down knots and scar tissue that hinder the muscles' flexibility and range of motion. Regular massage can also help the therapist identify imbalances such as a difference in the size of a muscle's bulk. This information can be useful in designing an appropriate exercise program for each individual client. However, a complete injury prevention strategy should include other measures such as proper stretching and strengthening exercises.
Self-Massage
The hamstring muscles (biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus) are three muscles that run down the back of your thigh. They support the knee joint and help flex your leg at the hip. They are strengthened when you sit down, but too much sitting can weaken them and make you prone to hamstring injuries like strains and tears.
Sports massage can be used to ease the discomfort of a hamstring injury and speed up recovery time. It reduces inflammation difference between sports massage and deep tissue massage by flushing out lactic acid, improves flexibility, and helps break down scar tissue.
It can also reduce the effects of delayed onset muscle soreness -- or DOMS. This is the pain and stiffness that can start 24 hours after exercise and lasts up to seven days, with the peak of soreness usually within the first three days.
Warm-Up
Hamstring injuries are a common obstacle for athletes and fitness enthusiasts. Fortunately, they are also easily preventable with regular massage therapy and a focus on flexibility and proper form.
The hamstring muscles (biceps femoris, semitendinosus and semimembranosus) are located in the back of the thigh. They are the muscle group that bends the knee and lifts the foot behind the body when you sit down or stand up from a chair.
Flexibility in the hamstrings offers a variety of perks to health and fitness, says Taylor Pfeifer, DPT, CSCS, multiunit owner with FYZICAL Therapy & Balance Centers. For example, flexible hamstrings make it easier to perform squats and lunges correctly, which helps you avoid lower back pain and injury. Additionally, the muscles are less likely to become tight and rigid from frequent exercise, and they can handle more stress and pressure. Massage also increases blood flow, which supports strong muscle function. It can help break down scar tissue, reduce inflammation and support healing in injured tissues.
