The massages are directly related to good sports performance. Rest, relaxation, massage, are a way to release the muscles and relax after a hard training session. The use of suitable massage oils will help to achieve the desired result, whether it is deconstructing, reducing inflammation, relaxing the muscles, treating injuries, etc…
Uses of essential oils in athletes
The massage for athletes are used for different purposes. The prevention or treatment of sports injuries are the most common uses of massage, but there are others. Among them we highlight the relaxation of the musculature, the myofascial release and the elimination of contractures. Massages are also a way to increase athletic performance, as they accelerate muscle recovery time.
Essential oils for sports massages
The use of oils to perform the massage will depend on the purpose of the massage. The use of essential oils is an art, each one has “his”, it is a matter of time and to try different oils until finding the best oil for each one, but also others are chosen for their properties.
Next we will see a small summary of which are the best oils for massages depending on the type of massage.
Arnica oil
Arnica is one of the best known natural treatments for the treatment of injuries. Its anti-inflammatory properties are used to relieve injuries, strains or tendonitis. In addition to this, another of its properties is the antifungal, beneficial to treat some skin problems.
Harpagofito oil
The harpagophyte or harpago, is a plant highly valued in natural medicine for its anti-inflammatory properties. It is the most powerful and used natural anti-inflammatory. This plant is an alternative to traditional oral anti-inflammatories, but it can also be found in oil.
A massage with harpagofito oil helps to eliminate muscular pains, tendonitis, injuries, lumbago, etc…
Lavender essential oil
The essential oil of lavender applied to massages, produces a soothing and relaxing effect, in addition, its desinflamantes properties serves to treat contractures, as well as to reduce the pain produced by the overexertion muscle or injuries.
Rosemary oil
Rosemary oil is used in natural medicine to eliminate ailments. If it is pure rosemary essential oil, it cannot be used directly on the skin, so it must be diluted with another oil. This oil produces an increase in blood circulation and “heats up” the muscles. The massage with rosemary oil is ideal both before and after training.
Juniper essential oil
This is one of the most used oils for the treatment of injuries. Juniper essential oil is anti-inflammatory, soothing and sativating, making it a perfect oil for relaxing massages. Thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties, it is also highly valued for the treatment of muscle contractures inflammatory lesions.
How to use these oils
It should be noted that some of these essential oils cannot be used alone, directly on the skin, because they are too strong. These must be combined or reduced with another oil, called carrier oil. It is important to always read the instructions and precautions of each of these oils. You can find this information on the label of each of them.
