Sport massage with essential oils

Take your sport massages to a higher level with essential oils

Painful muscles after sport or exercise? A good pre- and post-sport massage can work wonders. But did you know that the addition of essential oils can increase the effect of these massages? They exercise a relaxing and calming influence on painful, stiff and tired muscles. Are you interested to know how you can take your sport massages to a higher level with aromatherapy? You can read all about it here.

What is a good sport massage?

Whether you are a starter or a more intensive athlete, everyone can benefit from a good sport massage. For the best possible results, it is important that the massage is carried out correctly: a preparatory massage before the sporting activity and a recovery massage afterwards. Start your training after a warming-up massage and finish it with a cooling-down. Just as importantly, don’t overdo things and always give your muscles sufficient and timely rest when they need it.

Vegetable-based oils

Arnica oil is an excellent oil for a sport massage and has a preventative effect both before and after your sporting activity. Are you sometimes troubled by tired or strained muscles and/or joints? Arnica oil can help to relieve these problems as well. A massage with this rescue oil can even help with all kinds of bumps and bruises.

↪ Take a look at Physalis Arnica Oil

Essential oils

A warming-up massage with essential oils relaxes your muscles when you are preparing for your sporting activity and supports muscle recovery afterwards. A cooling-down massage is more appropriate for people who want to alleviate feelings of tiredness and/or stiffness once you have completed the activity.

Warming up vs. cooling down

A warming-up massage with essential oils relaxes your muscles when you are preparing for your sporting activity and supports muscle recovery afterwards. A cooling-down massage is more appropriate for people who want to alleviate feelings of tiredness and/or stiffness once you have completed the activity.

Which essential oils are good for a warming-up sport massage?

Do you want to warm up your muscles before your sporting activity? Add some wintergreen, lemon eucalyptus, rosemary or ginger to your massage oil. You will be amazed at the feeling of relaxation in your muscles, if you treat yourself to this kind of warming-up massage.

A warm, aromatic massage is also great for relieving stiffness in your neck and shoulders. What’s more, these essential oils also have a quick and powerful effect as painkillers, especially for muscles, joint problems and other types of pain where massage is recommended.

But that is not all! Aromatherapy is an excellent first aid remedy for treating falls and for any other bumps and bruises that you pick up during your sport or exercise.

But how does it work?

Essential oils are rich in miniscule but highly beneficial components. Because these components are so small, they easily penetrate through the skin. Methyl salicylate and menthol are the most important substances responsible for the oils’ painkilling and restorative effects. In the research world, they are known as counter-irritants.

A counter-irritant stimulates or irritates the surface of the skin to which it is applied, as a result of which the underlying pain caused by stiff or tired muscles is reduced.

Moreover, these substances improve the flow of blood to the muscles, which is an important factor in muscle recovery. The essential oil of wintergreen is a unique product, by virtue of the fact that it consists of almost 99% methyl salicylate. Salicylates (including aspirin) are synthetically produced on a large scale and used extensively in many medicines and sports creams. However, natural methyl salicylate is much more effective than these synthetic variants and is therefore preferable.

Which essential oils are good for a cooling-down sport massage?

Are you troubled by a feeling of tiredness or heaviness in your legs, whether after sport or after sitting all day? If so, a cooling massage is just what you need. Cedar, cypress, laurel, mountain savoury and menthol-rich essential oils, including field mint, are ideal. They improve the blood circulation, which soothes away the heavy feeling in your legs, as well as being great for stimulating muscle recovery after physical activity. Two benefits for the price of one!

How can you make your own effective massage oil?

After reading this blog, are you interested in making your own massage oil based on essential oils? Below you can find several recipes for an ideal sport massage oil.

Activating muscle oil for
warming up

• 15 drops of wintergreen
• 10 drops of rosemary ct camphor (Spanish rosemary)
• 10 drops of lemon eucalyptus
• 30 ml of a base oil (one of our Physalis vegetable oils, such as jujuba, almond or arnica is ideal)

Restorative muscle oil for cooling down

• 15 drops of field mint
• 10 drops of cedar
• 10 drops of cypress
• 30 ml of a base oil (jujuba, almond or arnica)