When you think of athletes, you probably picture basketball players, football players, and maybe soccer players. But you don't have to play sports to be athletic. Hikers are athletes, too — just in a different kind. If you're a hiker, recognizing that you are, in fact, an athlete, can make a big difference in how you treat your body. For instance, like other athletes, you can benefit from regular massages as a hiker. Here's a closer look at the benefits of massage for hikers, along with hiker-specific tips for incorporating massage into your routine.

Benefits of Hiking

Massage helps loosen up your muscles and keep them loose. This is really beneficial for anyone hiking on uneven ground. If your muscles are tight, you are more likely to stumble. You may also develop over-use injuries due to your tight musculature putting strain on your tendons and ligaments as you hike. Put simply, massage keeps you loose, and staying loose reduces your risk of injury as a hiker.

Massage can also help you recover from your long hikes faster. It flushes the lactic acid and other waste products out of your muscles. When you recover faster, you can hike again sooner, which will help you build your fitness over time. You may not need a whole weekend of relaxation post-hike if you get a massage.

Incorporating Hiking Into Your Routine

The best time to get a massage is after a demanding hike. You don't have to go straight to the massage clinic after your hike, but don't wait for more than a day or so. 

Look for a massage therapist who specializes in sports massage. After all, you've been just as active as any other athlete out there. Sports massages focus more on the deep tissues and on enhancing performance by limbering up the skeletal muscles. Make sure you tell your massage therapist that you are a hiker. This will help them determine which parts of the body to focus on.

You may also want to schedule a massage before any big, important hike you have planned. Getting a massage a few days beforehand will increase blood flow to your tissues so they are primed and ready to go.

As a hiker, you depend on your body a lot. Make sure you care for it properly with good food, rest, recovery, and massage. Whether you get a massage once a month or weekly as a hiker, you'll notice the difference when you hit the trails.

For more information, turn to a company such as Luata L.F. Bray, L.M.T.