Athletic Event Preparation and Recovery
Preparation for and recovering from athletic events and sports (and other physical pursuits) is a critical part of maintaining a healthy body. Everyone knows that exercise is good for us, but exercise can also result in muscle and tissue damage unless we prepare properly before we undertake any stressful or arduous sports activity. One of the most important aspects of Fascial Stretch Therapy is its inherent ability to prepare our muscles, joints, and connective tissues for athletic events.
As much as 50% of our flexibility is locked up inside our joints. Ordinary stretching can actually jam the joints together and put undue stress on them. However, Fascial Stretch Therapy with its unique process that focuses on the fascia as the key element for the achievement of optimum strength, flexibility, performance and pain relief can actually bring relief and even preventive measures to our delicate system of joints and connective tissues.
Stress and changes to the fascia can actually result in both major and minor imbalances affecting our strength, flexibility, equilibrium and agility. When we undertake a pre-sporting event or athletic pursuit stretching regimen that is random rather than planned and carefully executed, we run the risk of doing joint damage or muscle damage that can cause pain and discomfort later. Pre-event stretching can have a great many advantages such as increased blood supply, joint mobility, improved circulation, stress reduction and the alleviation of tenderness in the muscles.
Sports massages are one type of therapy used often by anyone who exercises or works out on a regular basis. Incorporated in this type of massage are various aspects of Fascial Stretch Therapy that allow the body to warm up and cool down both pre and post workout. Improving performance and preventing injury are two of the most important functions of FST. Current schools of thought encourage dynamic stretching as the preferred way to prepare for athletic activityof every kind.
Careful manipulation of the fascia that loosens muscles and tendons will significantly increase the range of motion of multiple joints and quite literally warm the body in preparation for physical activity. Increasing body heat and blood flow allow oxygen to move more freely from the bloodstream, and can more efficiently prevent muscle damage that often occurs when proper warm-ups are not implemented. Just a few minutes of the right methods of Fascial Stretch Therapy can reap huge benefits and spare an athlete months or even years of pain and medical intervention.
