What is Sports Massage?

Summer is upon us! With such emphasis on sports and outdoor activities, we may find ourselves wondering, "What's the difference between a deep tissue massage and a sports massage?" No? I'm the only one who thinks about massage therapy in my off time? Well, buckle your seatbelt, because I'm about to articulate some differences now, in addition to the difference between receiving a sports massage before vs after an event!

What's the Difference?

What's the difference between a regular massage and a sports massage?

Firstly, as Chase states, the main difference between a sports massage and other massage modalities is the intention, or the purpose. You can say this about all massage modalities as many were developed in order to address specific needs. While sports massage can utilize various techniques often used in other modalities, the purpose is to either prepare the body for physical activity, or assist its recovery following physical activity.

Compared to other modalities, Sports massage is a clothed massage of a short duration, performed with light or shallow massage strokes. Going too deep such as in deep tissue massages, would alter the peak state and conditioning of the athlete's muscles and could potentially affect their performance for the event.

The benefits of sports massage for athletes include:

• Improved athletic performance

• Speeds recovery

• Improves conditioning

• Maintains peak performance

Before an Event

The purpose of a sports massage before an event is similar to stretching or a warm-up exercise. It primes the body about 10-60 minutes prior to the event to prepare it for the physical endeavor it is about to undergo. Think of a warmup jog or how racecars drive around the track to heat up their tires before starting the race. By warming up the body, muscles, and ligaments, you're in a more flexible state, thus performing better, and less likely to incur damage from your event. The pre-event massage strokes are quick and light, facilitating blood flow in the body, especially to the muscles.

After an Event

The purpose of a sports massage after an event is akin to a cool-down walk. Sudden transitions don't do any good and can lead to injury. By guiding the body into a cooled down, relaxed state, it aids the body regulation back into a restful state which in turns enables muscles and ligaments to recover from any strain or damage incurred during the event. The post-event massage strokes are slow and light to facilitate oxygen-rich blood flow throughout the body in order to aid the natural recovery process. Joints are supported by the practitioner who moves the limbs in various stretches without the client's assistance. The client's objective is to remain a limp noodle during this cool down process.

Jim Earley Sports Massage Quote

Scientific Backing

While research is somewhat scarce in demonstrating massage's efficiency (Shryer), what has been conducted (Kennedy) supports that in relation to exercise and athletic participation, sports massage can:

• Reduce muscle tension

• Help athletes monitor muscle tone

• Promote relaxation

• Reduce muscle hypertonicity

• Increase range of motion

• Improve soft tissue function

• Support recovery from the transient immunosuppression state

• Support the recovery of heart rate variability and diastolic blood pressure after high-intensity exercise.

• Decrease muscle stiffness and fatigue after exercise

• Improve exercise performance

• Decrease delayed onset muscle soreness

• Be the most efficient intervention for maintaining maximal performance time in subsequent exercise tests when combined with active recovery from maximal exercise

• Reduce serum creatine kinase post exercise

• Reduce swelling

• Reduce breathing pattern disorders

• Enhance athletic performance

• May help prevent injuries when massage is received regularly

In Conclusion

Pre and post event sports massage aid athletes to perform at their most optimum state as well as assist in optimum recovery. This massage modality is designed to be quick and superficial, either invigorating or calming. While research is limited, athletes, coaches, and massage therapists agree that sports massage is conducive to achieving peak performance.

References:

Kennedy, A. B. and Blair, S. N. (2011, October). Massage Therapy for Those Who Exercise [blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.amtamassage.org/about/position-statements/massage-therapy-for-those-who-exercise

Shryer, D. (2020, August 1). Game Plan: Sports Massage for Athletes on Event Day [blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.amtamassage.org/publications/massage-therapy-journal/the-game-plan/

Walters, Chase. In-person interview. 9 July 2025.

Additional Sources

Alderton, M. (2022, August 1). The Science of Stress [blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.amtamassage.org/publications/massage-therapy-journal/science-of-stress-and-massage/?utm_campaign=mtj&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_content=science-of-stress 

ASFA (2022). 5 Benefits of Dynamic Stretching [blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.americansportandfitness.com/blogs/fitness-blog/5-benefits-of-dynamic-stretching?mc_cid=05b525f14f&mc_eid=ebf1e562e8 

ASFA (2022). Cooling Down: The Importance of Staying for a Workout Cool-down [blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.americansportandfitness.com/blogs/fitness-blog/cooling-down-the-importance-of-staying-for-a-workout-cool-down?_pos=32&_sid=184a4189b&_ss=r 

ASFA (2022). Integrating Mind, Body and Spirit in Sports Training [blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.americansportandfitness.com/blogs/fitness-blog/integrating-mind-body-and-spirit-in-sports-training?_pos=2&_sid=184a4189b&_ss=r