The Power Duo: How Sauna Therapy Enhances the Benefits of Sports Massage
The Power Duo: Discover how combining sauna therapy with sports massage can boost muscle recovery, flexibility, and overall athletic performance. Learn how Dr. Stretch can help you maximise the results.
When it comes to athletic recovery and performance, it's not just what you do—it's how you combine it. Sauna therapy and sports massage are two powerful tools on their own, but together, they create a synergistic effect that can accelerate recovery, reduce muscle tension, and enhance overall wellbeing.
At Dr. Stretch, we understand the value of integrated therapies. Here’s why pairing sauna sessions with sports massage could be a game-changer for your routine.
What Is Sports Massage?
Sports massage is a targeted form of soft tissue therapy designed to prevent and treat injuries, improve flexibility, and optimise athletic performance. It focuses on manipulating muscles, tendons, and fascia to:
Release tension
Increase circulation
Aid in muscle repair
The Benefits of Sauna Before Sports Massage
1. Prepares Muscles for Deep Work
A sauna session before a massage helps warm up muscles, making them more pliable. This allows the massage therapist to work deeper without causing discomfort.
2. Increases Blood Flow
Heat from the sauna dilates blood vessels, improving circulation. This ensures that muscles are oxygen-rich and ready for massage therapy, enhancing its effectiveness.
3. Reduces Muscle Stiffness
Sauna therapy helps reduce overall stiffness and makes the body more responsive to manual manipulation.
The Benefits of Sauna After Sports Massage
1. Promotes Relaxation and Recovery
Following up a massage with a sauna session helps relax the nervous system, further easing muscle tension and promoting mental calm.
2. Flushes Out Toxins
Both massage and sauna increase circulation and lymphatic flow. Together, they support the removal of metabolic waste and toxins built up during exercise.
3. Minimises Post-Massage Soreness
A post-massage sauna can help reduce delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and keep muscles loose for longer.
When to Use Sauna and Massage Together
Post-Training Recovery Days
Injury Rehabilitation
Before Major Competitions
As Part of a Regular Maintenance Routine
