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Many people work with registered massage therapists (RMTs)<\/a> to support their recovery after an injury or through an illness. There are also folks who use massage to manage stress and maintain their mental health. Sports massage therapy with an RMT is one form of treatment that amateur and professional athletes alike utilize to sustain and enhance their performance. Obviously, your RMT can also help you manage sports-related injuries so you get back to your peak performance faster. So, as an athlete, how can you use sports massage to improve your performance?<\/span><\/p>\n First, it is helpful to understand that regular training can cause muscles to become tight or tense which ultimately limits their ability to relax which is not great for flexibility. Additionally, evidence suggests that tight muscles have poorer circulation which will have direct consequences on your endurance. With that in mind, sports massage therapy can improve your training and conditioning so you compete better by helping to maintain the flexibility in your muscles while also improving blood flow which likewise improves your conditioning and even the recovery of your muscles.<\/span><\/p>\n How then do you incorporate massage into your training program? With the goal of improving circulation in their cardiovascular and lymphatic systems, RMTs work closely with athletes to determine the appropriate type, duration, and frequency of massage to optimize performance. Usually, RMTs will treat athletes<\/a> after training sessions to support recovery, but it is also sometimes helpful to incorporate massage before a competition to warm up your muscles. Regular massage also helps to manage post-workout or competition pain by <\/span>releasing muscles, improving flexibility, and by eliminating the build-up of lactic acid in your muscles. This means you recover more quickly \u2013 and less recovery means less time between training sessions.<\/span><\/p>\n