Sports Massage vs Stretching Therapy

Sports Massage vs Stretching Therapy In Singapore

Massage, massage, massage, now, instead of massage why don't you try stretching therapy? Did you know that the muscles in our body need to be moved, stretched, & massaged just like you are to send in a car for a tune-up every once in few months to keep it healthy, injury-free, & increases the speed of recovery? Well, which one is actually better for you(a massage or stretching muscles)? If you don't know or have never tried any of them, this article content will focus on the differences & how you can use it as an intervention. If you haven't read our article on sports massage therapy here. 
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Findings in many case study claims that inactivity(lack of physical activity) causes a lot more problems which end up causing pains all over your body
What is the difference between sports massage & Stretch Therapy?Massage therapy & stretch therapy's goals are to better your range of motion, improve sports performance, & help decrease pain/ aches(recovery). It does this to help improve blood supply(which improves nerve health, pain relief, & decrease overall stress, & overall muscle tension. Massages come in many forms, levels & practitioner

Sports massage

 work is not a new thing & can be seen rendered for all walks of life, activities, & ages. As the word suggests "sports massage" is mainly used before an event, to help athletes get more circulation & get the body ready for exercise, & uses a series of "soft tissue manipulation" using their arms, elbows, palms knuckles, & fingers. Techniques which are seen employed by most sports massage therapist may include percussion(think vibration massage gun), & kneading(think kneading dough). Clinics that involves physiotherapists, & doctors of Chiropractor mostly work closely with massage therapists to provide sports massage therapy(soft tissue massage) for patients/client or conditions that may include some form of inflammation, & help flush out areas in the body such as lactic acid

Stretch therapy

on the other hand aims to stretch your(recipient) connective tissue(muscles, tendons, ligaments, visceral organs) to help improve/ increase:

• Range of motion (eg hamstring flexibility)
• Types of movement
• Lymphatic flow(decrease swelling)
• Blood flow
• Scar tissue(from body injury)
• Decrease inflammation
• Sport-specific goal
• Muscle conditioning

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& if he or she is also trained as a massage therapist, may include a combination of manual therapy technique such as:

• Cross friction
• Compressions
• Tractions
• Modalities(IASTM, kinesiology tape, etc)

Also, with stretching, you save time hitting more muscles across your body as compared to massage, as they need to apply different massage techniques for different muscle fibers & areas, & that you will save more time & money with lesser sessions services. They will be able to stretch the entire lower extremities(legs) in one motion which are:

1. Hips
2. Hamstrings
3. Ankle

As you can see, Functional Stretch Therapy is a blend of constant assessment(baseline) to see the outcomes of different methods or approach, & condition so that individuals receiving can get the best improvements. Unlike massage treatments, clothing stays on during stretching session, & that you will be asked to do a variety of active movements /exercises to help function, & improvement of muscle length due to a prolonged sedentary lifestyle, causing stiffness/tightness, or sports injuries.
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23 Benefits of Sports Massage & Stretching Therapy

1. Lower back pain
2. Lower blood pressure
3. Hip pain
4. Neck pain
5. Decrease injuries
6. Improve body alignment/ posture
7. Improve energy
8. Decrease cramps
9. Spasms activities
10. Decreases strain in muscles
11. Improve muscle recovery
12. Treat trigger points
13. Decrease delayed onset muscle soreness (doms)
14. Improved lymphatic flow
15. Improved range of motion(joints)
16. Increased strength
17. Improved muscle flexibility
18. Pre-Post-injury
19. Improved elasticity
20. Delayed fatigue
21. Runners knee pain relief
22. Lowered anxiety/ stress
23. Increased relaxation

Is massage better than stretching therapy?The most asked question is which is better? Overwhelming research on stretching, & massage have been done & the consensus is about the same that most medical professionals agree on, is that touch is a very important aspect of any form of therapy, namely massage therapy, & stretching


Massage treatment uses lots of oil on the skin or area to be worked on, which may leave residues, & for some people, based on this matter of fact, it changes the decision & avoid a massage session altogether. If you don't like oil, chances are, you would definitely prefer the FST method.


Should you stretch after a sports massage?Yes! Clients should always try to make it a routine to stretching after a sports massage as it helps to integrate every part of your tissues together.
According to researchers, the results of studies on stretching have a low negative effect or risk, which means a slight discomfort is experienced, & no pain should be present, if pain arises from simple stretching, there is underlying issues to be assessed for example.


What is the frequency between stretching & deep tissue massage?The risks categories associated with a patient for stretching vs massage are so much lower despite the similarities in the outcome, theory, effects, type of purposes, & the level of benefit(athlete/ leisure training). Deep tissue massages are best down once or twice a month, & stretches can be done as frequent as 3-5 times a week working your tolerance level just like a workout. For maintenance purposes, 1-2 times a week is ore than enough. Suitable for both men, women, & gentle enough to suit our older-aged people. Change how your muscles move, feel, & rest.


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#massage #sports #muscles