With the Tour De France’s rising popularity, many inspired spectators decide to dust off their bike and take to the saddle. More and more cyclists today have started to incorporate regular Sports Massage in to their cycling regimes, and not just at the elite level either!
So why are cyclists choosing to go for a Sports Massage on their rest days?
Eases achy muscles – It’s no surprise that the leg muscles carry the greatest burden and feel the achiest after a ride, but we just have to grin and bear it and get on with things, right? Wrong! Sports Massage improves blood circulation by stretching and relaxing the muscle fibres, which in turn reduces muscle soreness (DOMS), helping the cyclist feel fresher for their next ride.
Preventing injuries – A lot of sports injuries, particularly muscular injuries, are a result of overworked, neglected muscles. Regular Sports Massage is an effective way of detecting minor soft tissue problems and dealing with them before a more serious injury occurs.
Maintaining good posture – When cycling, we put ourselves in an unnatural position, and over time this leads to postural problems. Our hamstrings never fully lengthen while cycling and this causes them to shorten over time, which can in turn cause all sorts of lower back problems. The lower back itself is already in constant strain by being in a forward-flexed position and this can sometimes irritate the sciatic nerve and send those annoying pins and needles down your leg and foot. Your neck and upper back are also hunched over and chest muscles often shortened due to the position of the handlebars. Sports Massage targets these areas of tightness, enabling you to concentrate on what you love most, cycling!
So in short, the answer is because it makes life that little bit easier! Look after your body, and it looks after you – that’s why cyclists are all getting Sports Massages now.