The typical idea of a massage is spending the afternoon taking a good soak in a mud bath, feeling the sauna, and rejuvenating your skin with fresh peels and wraps. This definately sounds relaxing, but what can one do for sports activity? For sports enthusiasts and athletes there is a sports therapy massage. Athletes know how important it is to stretch and warm up muscles. Sports massages are used to help warm up and stretch out muscles and joints before physical sports activity. Don’t have time for a masseuse? How about a massage chair? Shiatsu massage chairs are can do a vast array of massage therapies for a variety of needs.
Athletes around the world are reaping the benefits of massage. Sports massages are designed to prepare the body for more strenuous activity. These therapies are much more than just for relaxing after the game. Massage chair manufacturers are adding more massage features that are aimed at both amateur and professional athletes alike.
Many doctors recommend sports therapy massage for their athletes before, during and after a game. Sports massage has been shown to minimize injury and speed recoveries from injuries. These sports therapies are used by professional athletes before, during and after competition. Athletes needs sports therapy massages to loosen tight muscles increase their flexibility. Additionally, these massages help to increase circulation which helps the body metabolize fuel faster, leading to greater bursts of energy and enhanced performance. Sports massages, quite simply can help reduce sports-related injuries such as sprains, fractures, spasms and pulled muscles.
Many of the high end massage chairs from Sanyo, Panasonic, and Omega have built in features specifically for athletes. These shiatsu massage chairs come with a variety of massage therapies including Reflexology, Swedish, Shiatsu, Acupressure and Deep Tissue massage. Sports therapy massage for athletes is as integral to a serious sport regimen as lifting weights. Massage increases fluid circulation, reduces pain, and speeds recovery after an injury.
You may not be a professional athlete, but a weekend warrior. Weekend warriors are more at risk since they play more intermittent. If your passion is any type of active sport such as tennis, golf, basketball, or softball, then you know the importance of warming up and warming down your muscles by stretching. The Omega Montage Premier massage chair has a lower body stretch function. This lower body traction functions by using air pressure to hold your feet in the footrest. The footrest is first raised and then lowered down in 3 steps. As the footrest goes down to each lower position, it stretches and elongates your muscles from the hips down. Proper stretching helps you perform better and reduces the chances of injury.
Sport Massage Therapy combines both the Swedish and Shiatsu techniques. Swedish techniques use long, flowing strokes which enhances circulation and the flow of blood. Shiatsu stimulates the acupressure points while applying a gentle squeezing action to particular areas of the body. Shiatsu relaxes the muscles and relieves tension. Massage chair recliners use these techniques for the upper body and use an air compression system for the lower body. The air compression system gently squeezes, holds and releases the muscles of the lower body. These shiatsu chairs contain many strategically placed airbags. The Panasonic EP-3222 massage recliner uses an incredible 33 airbags built into both the seat and footrest to perform lower body massages.
If you are looking for a great way to get ready before your strenuous activity, these chairs can be a very practical alternative to getting a professional masseuse. Even sports like golf, which do not seem too strenuous, actually put significant stress on the body. In golf, for example, one swings using the muscles on one side of the body in a singular direction. This causes you to over-utilize some muscle groups and under-utilize other muscle groups. How many golfers complain about bad backs? Too many to count! That simple swinging motion done repetitively can cause muscle and tendon damage if you do not warm up and warm down properly. An invigorating shiatsu massage before and after golf will make you feel better and might even take a couple strokes off your game.
Many massage chair recliners provide a very thorough massage therapy which helps one to relax, reduce tension and warm up the body prior to sports activity. Although shiatsu massage chairs are not cheap. Think of the alternative, injury. If you could avoid an injury, how much is that worth? The cost benefit of having a massage chair is really helping to reduce your risk of injury and enhancing your performance. Whether you are a professional athlete or a weekend warrior, you can get significant benefit from a shiatsu massage chair recliner.
