If you’re looking to optimize your fitness regimen, one of the best things you can do is schedule a post-workout massage. Whether your primary focus is strength-building, flexibility, or endurance, having a professional masseuse tend to your body can help you achieve your health goals. To better understand this, consider the following.

Why You Should Schedule a Massage After Working Out

1. Facilitates Recovery

As important as it is to push your body during exercise, it’s just as important to rest. Your muscles need to repair themselves so that they’re primed for the next workout. During a massage, the combination of pressure and motion boosts circulation, which brings more oxygen and blood flow to your muscles, thereby speeding up recovery.

2. Lowers Inflammation

If your muscles are swollen, painful, stiff, and weak, they’re probably inflamed. A combination of recovery, ice baths, and massages are great for treating inflamed muscles, especially if you want to avoid relying on anti-inflammatory medications.

3. Prevents Injury

Fitness enthusiasts know how important it is to stretch after a workout. It keeps your muscles pliable, and your joints lubricated, so you’re less prone to injuries. However, depending on the stretch and your flexibility level, you may not be able to reach those tense areas; thankfully, a masseuse can.

4. Improves Flexibility

Because massages aid in stretching, they’re the perfect complement to a flexibility routine. Trigger point massages, in particular, are fantastic since they focus on the ligaments and connective tissues, as well as the muscles.

5. Calms an Anxious Mind

Mental health should always be included in your wellness plan. While working out often helps take your mind off your worries, massages go one step further. With a massage you can unwind and relax completely.

If your favorite gym, studio, or trail is in the Edwardsville, IL area, make an appointment at MassageLuXe for a post-workout massage. They offer a wide variety of types, including Swedish, deep tissue, hot stone, trigger point, and sports massage. If your hands and feet are especially sore, either from gripping weights, tough yoga positions, or long runs, they also offer reflexology! You can learn more about their services on their website or by calling them at (618) 307-0093 or (217) 702-4444 for their Springfield, IL, location. If you're in Indiana, you can reach their Carmel location at (317) 203-3303.