Massage oil for sports therapy aids in warming muscles to improve stretching and flexibility. When using deep tissue work, the main thing to remember is that it can cause muscle soreness and tightness, so use light strokes only. A brisk, deep massage after exercise or sports activity from sports massage oil can relieve muscle soreness, reduce inflammation, and speed up the recovery process. You can read more in this published paper about The Role of Massage in Sports Performance and Rehabilitation: Current Evidence and Future Direction.
Essential Massage Oil for Sports Therapy
Listed below are some of the most well-known sports massage oils to enhance muscle tone, ease pain, and speed up muscle recovery. They can be diluted in carrier oil such as grapeseed oil or coconut oil.
1. Black Pepper Oil
It is wonderful warming oil for tired, tight, and painful muscles. It can also prevent discomfort and stiffness before exercising.
2. Chamomile
It relieves inflammation, spasms, and dull aches by aiding muscle relaxation. According to studies, german chamomile contains bisabolol oxides,which has anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic actions.
3. Ginger
It helps promote circulation, warmth and releases cold, and tense muscles, and treats aches and pains before and after exercise. Also, a reserach showed that ginger contains the natural component a-pinene, which acts as an anti-inflammatory.
4. Lavender
Lavender oil is great for reducing inflammation and pain. It can be used alone if diluted, but it is better when blended with other oils because it creates a synergistic effect with other essential oils.
5. Juniper berry
It helps build muscle tone and reduce post-workout muscle aches and pains. At the same note as ginger, juniper is a warming oil that brings fresh oxygen to overworked muscles, it works as natural analgesic and it also contains the natural component a-pinene.
6. Marjoram
Its analgesic effects aid in the relaxation of constricted muscles and reduce pain. Also marjoram works the same way as the german chamomile that we discussed earlier. Researchers have found that sweet marjoram contains terpinen-4-ol and a-terpinene.
7. Peppermint
Peppermint is well-known for its cooling effects, and it works wonders on swollen and tight muscles. It can also help you feel more energized and less tired. According to studies, pepermint includes a great portion of menthol, which has analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic results because of its stimulating and cooling effect on the central nervous system.
8. Rosemary
Rosemary is very beneficial when you apply it before and after exercise. This oil is useful for stiff, overworked muscles and fatigue, and has none of the sedating effects of other analgesic oils.
It is easy to make sports massage oil products using two or three essential oils. Find out which combinations are most effective for you and your muscles by trying them out. The ones you enjoy the scent of could be the ones that you try first.
Essential Oil Blends for Sports Massage
It is always recommended to dilute essential oils before applying them to the body as part of a massage with a carrier oil (grapeseed oil, coconut oil) or another base product, such as a cream, lotion, or gel. Essential oils should never be applied directly to the skin since they have highly concentrated, potent compounds that irritate the skin. Carrier oils are commonly used for massage because they give an exorbitant amount of lubrication, allowing the hands to glide over the skin effortlessly. Some base oils contain therapeutic properties that can improve the effectiveness of your massage blend and facilitate the massage.
If you are wondering which oil is best for muscle massage, here is our advice:
Muscle Massage Oil Before a Workout
Add 4 drops of Black pepper and Rosemary oils with around 15-20ml of carrier oil to warm up your body for workouts and increase blood flow to the muscles.
Muscle massage Oil After a Workout
Add 5 drops of chamomile oil and marjoram oil with 10 drops of lavender oil to 30ml carrier oil. 10ml Calendula Oil to relax muscles and remove tightness and sore muscles after exercise.
Benefits Of Different Sports Massage Oils
Listed below are a few benefits of massage oil for sports therapy that are very important for your body.
1. Antispasmodic
Certain essential oils include compounds that help relieve tension and minimize muscle spasms. Antispasmodic oils are another name for these essential oils. Muscle relaxants, such as antispasmodic oils, can aid in relieving disorders connected with muscular pain, such as uterine cramps, muscle cramps, and stomach cramps. Examples of antispasmodic oils that were scientifically tested are dill, coriander, fennel and rosemary. You can find more information in this published paper on Pubmed that discusses the Antispasmodic Effect of Essential Oils and Their Constituents.
2. Anti-inflammatory properties
Anti-inflammatory sports massage oils enhance blood circulation to the area, halting or slowing down the inflammatory process and flushing away the inflammation. Look for anti-inflammatory oils to treat people continually suffering from acute or chronic inflammation, redness, or swelling. Peppermint is an anti-inflammatory oil that can aid with inflammation caused by an injury. Also, tea tree oil and ginger oil have anti-inflammatory properties. You can find more information in this review paper talking about essential oils used in aromatherapy.
3. Analgesic
These are oils that help relieve pain. They are also widely used as massage oil for sports therapy. They work by preventing neurons from sending pain signals to the brain, and some even have the potential to reduce discomfort on the skin’s surface. Warming and cooling oils can also aid by warming or chilling the muscles, interrupting the pain pathway. Analgesic oils such as ginger, peppermint, and pine are ideal examples.
Final Thoughts
The parasympathetic system, which controls your body’s internal functions, activates during sports massage. Using sports massage oils before and after exercise is one technique to assist prepare the muscles, relieve post-workout soreness, and speed muscle recovery. When the body undergoes stress, it does not function properly. Massage decreases the number of stress hormones produced in the body. This is critical to avoid unnecessary harm and disease. Your blood supply rises as you relax your muscles, allowing oxygen and nutrients to reach your muscles.
Note: try always to massage your body using upwards strokes towards the heart.
Read more:
Essential oils for sports and deep tissue massage and 13 best essential oils for sports therapy.