What is Sports Massage?
The aim of Sports Massage is to shorten the time a horse needs to spend in a warm up prior to competing in their event. That ensures that the horse is in optimal range of motion after a warm up, facilitates a quality performance, and reduces the possibility of injury. In order to warm up the muscles without inducing a state of relaxation in the horse, the therapist uses strokes that will increase circulation, muscle tone, and stimulate the nervous system, ensuring the horse is focused and alert during competition
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Benefits of Sports Massage
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Sports Massage differs from other forms of massage because it focuses on the cause of the muscle injury. By focusing on what causes injuries, Sports Massage assists in the prevention of future injuries. Sports Massage integrates many different strokes and techniques such as effleurages (stroking), petrissage (kneading), percussion/tapotment, compression and trigger points. the strategic application of these strokes in a specific order is what makes Sports Massage so effective.
Along with relieving muscular pain, Sports Massage Therapy has become a well-respected preventive Therapy. Equestrians have begun to increasingly integrate this non-invasive Therapy into the health care regimes of their Horses.
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