- Importance of wellness in sport
- Wellness treatments for athletes: hydrotherapy
- Types of hydrotherapy
- Wellness treatments for athletes: cryotherapy
- Types of cryotherapy
- Wellness treatments for athletes: sports massage
Wellness treatments for athletes are an important element of preparation for competitions. Hydrotherapy, cryotherapy and massages alleviate the effects of fatigue and regenerate the body after training. By supporting the natural mechanisms of cell renewal, the treatments restore the body's readiness for further sports challenges. See what the popular wellness treatments in sport are all about.
Biological regeneration in sportis no less important than training that allows athletes to reach for their dream trophies. Why? Although a popular proverb says that "sport is he alth" and physical activity undoubtedly brings a lot of good to the body, practicing almost any discipline is associated with certain burdens. The nervous, musculoskeletal and circulatory and respiratory systems indicate that the body needs rest after intense exercise. The athlete experiences intense pain in the joints and muscles, and despite training, the results are worse. It is harder for him to concentrate, he has no appetite, he has headaches and a feeling of fatigue.
This set of symptoms is a sign that it's time to take advantage of wellness treatments.
Importance of wellness in sport
The goal of biological regeneration in athletes is to accelerate the internal processes that will allow them to cope with disorders that arise after training. The treatments activate the adaptation and defense mechanisms of the organism, which harden it, i.e. make it resistant to changes in environmental factors. They also allow the injury to heal faster and act prophylactically, protecting the movement apparatus against injuries.
In addition, biological regeneration treatments regenerate the body, supporting the removal of unnecessary metabolic products and replenishing energy substances. They restore strength and flexibility to the muscles, improve mental condition - have a relaxing and strengthening effect, and improve concentration. They are necessary for the athlete to relax and release from the accompanying stress.
Wellness treatments for athletes: hydrotherapy
Hydrotherapy is nothing more than water treatment, hydrotherapy or aquatherapy. The treatments rely on the external application of water in various states: liquid, solid, gas, in order to obtain the best therapeutic effects.During hydrotherapy, the body is stimulated simultaneously with temperature, i.e. a thermal stimulus, and pressure, i.e. a mechanical stimulus. In response to them, the body reacts appropriately. For example, the alternating action of cold and warm water on the body leads to a decrease in body temperature, an increase in pressure (when the procedure is longer - lower), and a narrowing of blood vessels. On the other hand, lukewarm water relaxes, calms and relieves pain. Warm and hot water has an anti-inflammatory effect.
Hydrotherapy also supports regeneration after exercise, reducing pain, fatigue and relaxing.
This will be useful to youTypes of hydrotherapy
Scottish shower
This is one of the most commonly used hydrotherapy treatments. The patient stands in a special, tiled area, holding on to the hoops in front of him. First, it is affected by hot water with a value of about 40 ° C, then cooler - with a temperature of 20 ° C. Each such shower lasts about 1-2 minutes and is repeated several times. The entire procedure takes approximately 10 minutes. Water jets - depending on the needs of a given person - cover the entire body or only selected parts of it. Variable water temperature and its different degree of dispersion reduce soreness and muscle tension, have the character of a water massage.
Hot and warm water showers
They consist in directing a stream of hot or warm water at the body. They differ from water jets in that the body is not affected by alternating, but constant temperature during one session. Hot spraying (at the temperature of 38-41 ° C) causes greater sweating and activates the metabolism, which initiates the process of excreting toxins. The body relaxes as the supply of nutrients to the muscles increases, and the blood supply to the body improves. On the other hand, showers with warm water (at a temperature of 34-38 ° C) help to cope with soreness, because they relax the muscles, and also accelerate regeneration after exercise. In addition, warm water showers are a good remedy for insomnia, allowing you to sleep well after exercise. Hot showers last about 10 minutes, and warm showers - about 5 minutes.
Pearl baths
Pearl baths are recommended after extremely intense workouts, when nervous tension prevents effective regeneration. A bubble bath is immersed in water, which is full of air bubbles that look like little pearls. During the pearl bath, the skin and, to a lesser extent, the muscles are massaged. The treatment regenerates the nervous system and skin.
Hydromassage
Hydromassage is performed by athletes aftercontusions: fractures, sprains, sprains as well as with the appearance of contractures and after intense muscular work. Hydromassage, also known as underwater massage, takes place in a special bathtub full of nozzles with different holes and diameters, which allows you to direct the stream to specific parts of the body - most often it is the spine and shoulders. As during the procedure the patient is almost completely immersed in water (except for the head), his muscles relax and metabolism is improved. Accelerated circulation has an effect on the activation of metabolism and faster removal of toxins from the body. The duration of the hydro massage is approximately 15 minutes.
Whirlpool baths
Whirlpool bath is a biological regeneration treatment for athletes focusing on the lower and upper limbs. The whirlpool bath takes place in a special tub, in which there is a mechanism that introduces the water into a whirling motion. The patient feels the bath as a gentle massage, the effect of which is, among others. reduction of muscle tension, pain relief, improvement of blood supply. The treatment takes place at a temperature of 32 to 40 ° C and takes about 20 minutes.
Sauna
Treatments in the sauna involve overheating of the body due to the action of hot and dry air with a short exposure to high electric field intensity and high humidity. The sauna stimulates the activity of the endocrine glands and stimulates the immune system, relaxes the muscles and improves the mobility of the joints. The wellness treatment in the sauna also works on the psyche-as the Finns say, "it takes away anger and dries bile". Sauna toughens the body and supports regeneration after exercise. It is worth remembering that just being in the sauna is a considerable effort for the heart, so it should not be used before or immediately after training.
Wellness treatments for athletes: cryotherapy
Cryotherapy is the exposure of the body to low temperature. First, as a result of the action of cold, the blood vessels narrow, blood flow and metabolism slows down, and then - in the body's defensive reaction - the blood vessels widen and blood flow increases. Thanks to this process, more oxygen and nutrients reach the cells, tissues regenerate faster, pain is reduced, as is inflammation. The immune system subjected to such shock therapy improves its performance and the muscles relax.
The term "cryotherapy" includes: massage with an ice cube and bathing in water filled with ice - then its temperature is 0 ° C, and treatments in a cryo-chamber when the temperature drops below -60 ° C.
The cryotherapy treatment is recommended indamage to muscles, tendons and joints, overloads and their prevention, chronic injuries caused by practicing sports, as well as fatigue fracture of the metatarsal bones, inflammation of the calcaneal spur and regeneration after exercise.
This will be useful to youTypes of cryotherapy
Cold water bath - local cryotherapy
Local cryotherapy is performed shortly after training. It consists in immersing the whole body or, for example, only the legs in water at a temperature of 6-8 ° C. It is best to do this right after training (about 15 minutes). If the cold is very blistering, you can lie in the bathtub wearing a T-shirt or even your training clothes. Such a bath should not last longer than 10-15 minutes and it is recommended to perform it only after the hardest training.
Cold water baths owe their great popularity to the famous runner Paula Radcliffe, who, after winning the marathon at the European Championships in 2002, attributed her success to this procedure, calling it "agony, but effective".
Cryochamber - whole body cryotherapy
During this procedure, the patient stays in the cryochamber for 3 minutes, where the temperature ranges from -60 ° C in the atrium to -120 ° C in the proper chamber. The treatment is very effective because the entire body, including the head, is subjected to it in the chamber. It is worth remembering that after leaving the cryochamber, it is necessary to undergo kinesiotherapy, i.e. exercises with the use of devices under the supervision of a physiotherapist. Exercises last about 30 minutes and prevent overload by restoring movement stereotypes.
Wellness treatments for athletes: sports massage
Sports massage should be permanently included in the training plan of every athlete. Thanks to it, the risk of soreness and muscle tension are reduced, and it accelerates regeneration after exercise and the treatment of injuries. Sports massage is divided into several types, but each of them contains elements of classic massage - the body is stroked, rubbed, squeezed, kneaded and patted.
Sports massage restores strength to the muscles, oxygenates the skin and improves lymph circulation. It cannot be called a relaxation treatment, because it is not intended for it - it can even cause discomfort and sometimes pain to the person undergoing it.
Sports massage can be divided into:
- starting sports massage- warms up the ligamentous-joint apparatus and muscles, it is performed before warming up;
- pre-exercise sports massage- relaxes the muscles and activates them to work, performed from the day after the last training massage to the day of the next start;
- sports massagetraining- increases the body's functional capabilities, performed throughout the entire training cycle;
- post-exercise sports massage- restores the athlete's body to its pre-training form as soon as possible, performed immediately after exercise.
| Wellness treatment for athletes | Action |
| Scottish shower |
|
| Hot and hot water showers |
|
| Pearl baths |
|
| Hydromassage |
|
| Whirlpool baths |
|
| Sauna |
|
| Cold water bath |
|
| Cryochamber |
|
| Sports massage |
|