Massage enriches sports conditioning programs by helping athletes prepare for and recover from competition, reducing the potential for injuries and aiding in injury rehabilitation. Ultimately, sports massage therapy enhances the overall performance of the Rapids players. Sports massage therapists use their highly developed manual skills to apply massage in the context of the whole athlete for general health maintenance. Lighter techniques are utilized during brief sessions occurring an hour before a game to help the Rapids prepare to play. The focus in a session is to help warm up muscles to prevent injuries during the game, to increase circulation and to assist the player in getting focused on the game.
Massage is a powerful pre-game tool for the Rapids.
Shortly after each game, players receive a brief massage to flush lactic acid and toxins from their muscles. Light pressure and ice help replenish the tissue with oxygenated blood and reduce swelling to allow muscles to heal more quickly. Post-game massage also makes the players more aware of tight muscles. This is often the first sign of potential muscle injury so focused work and stretches are recommended to prevent any future injuries. Sessions consist of deep tissue and neuromuscular massage techniques focused on areas which are causing players discomfort.