Why Arsenal Footballers Love to Get Massages

There are plenty of benefits associated with getting a massage regularly, whether you are an athlete or a person who sits at a desk working long hours every day. For example, in addition to helping you sleep better, a massage session will reduce stress levels and blood pressure levels while also promoting blood flow and muscle relaxation. It can even boost your immune system by supporting the production and release of natural killer cells.

Arsenal Ladies is one example of a team of professional athletes that has decided that massage is a great way to step up their game. Continue reading to learn why.

Purifying the Body After Working Out

Being an athlete means you need to spend long hours exercising to keep your body in peak condition for every match. But according to Faye White, who is the Arsenal Ladies team captain, working out also produces a lot of waste products that end up being deposited into the muscles throughout the body.

Exercise also rips the muscles in order to get them to repair and grow stronger, so she recommends getting massages to undo that damage. A massage will help the muscles heal more quickly by assisting the body in removing excess waste, such as carbon dioxide and lactic acid. And a massage also reduces swelling. This means that these athletes can get back on the field sooner.

The Best Type of Massage for Athletes

Claire Smith, the Arsenal Ladies’ physio, recommends a massage known as effleurage, which is a soft-tissue massage that is gentle and helps boost circulation and blood flow. It also serves to drain away swelling throughout the body by boosting venous flow, while helping athletes relax. Less discomfort in the limbs is another benefit of this type of massage, which can help everyone, not just athletes, when performed by a professional using equipment from therapyessentials.co.uk.

Another beneficial type of massage for athletes is referred to as hacking massage. This is a stimulating form of massage that focuses on a single muscle group to flush toxins out of those particular muscles.

Deep massages are also a great option for the joints, particularly the knees and elbows, but they can be more painful than other options, especially if the muscles are super tight. The benefits, though, are worth the bit of discomfort.

When Massages Work Best

In terms of when to get a massage if you are an athlete, some prefer to get them immediately following any really difficult training session or after every game. If it is not possible do this, however, the next day is usually just as good. And for athletes who travel, getting a massage before hitting the road is a good way to prevent stiffness and pain during the long ride.

Whether you are an athlete or not, massage can do wonders for your body, so consider getting one regularly to boost circulation and make your muscles feel relaxed. The stress-reducing benefits are just as effective for businesspeople as they are for athletes.