Aromatherapy For The Athlete

by: LindaStevens
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Essential oils have long played a roll in the health and fitness of athletes around the world - perhaps without them even knowing it! Sports massage for enhanced performance and recovery almost always includes massage blends including Eucalyptus, Wintergreen and Rosemary - essential oils that enhance circulation to the muscles and enhance recovery by clearing post-exercise lactic acid and other waste products. 'Tiger Balm' - a popular remedy for muscular aches and pains contains camphor, menthol (found in Peppermint), cajeput, mint and clove oils. Other blends can greatly speed healing time of injuries, getting one 'back in the game' as fast as possible. Here we'll have a look at some of the most popular means of enhancing the sporting life with the magic of essential oils.

Essential oils can promote the health and fitness of athletes in many ways. The most common use is pre- and post-exertion massages. Sports massage technique is typically fairly gentle, used to invigorate and warm the muscles before exercise, and to soothe and speed recovery after serious efforts. While it's nice to have a massage therapist, it's absolutely not necessary to enjoy the benefits of sports massage - self massage is very common, particularly for those of us not quite as well supported as the world's top pro sports teams! The oil blends used in sports massage are simple yet effective, including oils such as Eucalyptus (invigorates, opens breathing passages, relieves pain), Lavender (anti-inflammatory, spasm-relieving), Rosemary (invigorates, opens airways, stimulates the mind, warms muscles), Peppermint (stimulates, increases circulation), Juniper Berry (detoxifies, speeds removal of lactic acid), Ginger (increases circulation, relieves pain) and Marjoram (calms, relieves muscle spasms).

For a pre-sports rub to loosen-up and warm the muscles, add 8 drops of Rosemary, 4 drops lavender and 4 drops Eucalyptus essential oils to each ounce of carrier oil (Grapeseed and/or Sweet Almond oils work well). Rub either just the legs or the entire body to help get you off to your best start. Post-exercise, use 8 drops Lavender, 4 drops Juniper Berry and 4 drops Sweet Marjoram. For an alternate post exercise rub for over-exerted muscles, use 8 drops Eucalyptus, 8 drops Peppermint and 8 drops Ginger essential oil for your blend. Recovery from competition or workouts can be greatly enhanced by the post-sport rub: the elimination of metabolic waste products and enhancing circulation (thereby bringing important electrolytes and other nutrients to the muscles faster) will have a noticeable effect on your ability to bounce back to top form. In all these blends, you may adjust the concentrations of essential oils to your liking - remembering that it is often the case that smaller amounts of oils will provide more relaxing effects, larger ones more stimulating.

Essential oils can be used in baths and before and after showering as well. The same oils mentioned above can be added to a bath after it is drawn for a relaxing post-exertion soak. Be sure to add any oils to the bathwater after the bath is drawn so they do not evaporate before you get in! For showering, oils can be applied to the body 'neat' on a clean washcloth before the shower - this can be especially helpful post-exertion to support elimination of toxins - one drop each of Rosemary, Lemon, Eucalyptus and Peppermint would be ideal for this purpose. An oil blend (in a carrier) can applied directly after a shower or bath when the pores are open. Use either a stimulating/cleansing blend or relaxing one (including Lavender, Marjoram and/or Mandarin) depending on the desired result.

Essential oils' medicinal value goes beyond just warm up and cool down rubs. In many sports, stronger healing properties are often needed due to cuts and scrapes, bruises, twists and sprains. Essential oils can powerful healers of skin, muscle and connective tissue. Many oils are known to have strong anti-inflammatory action, and contain certain molecules which signal the regeneration of tissue. And, of course, there's the stress-relieving 'aromatherapy' aspect, which further enhances the healing process.

For treating common bruises, strains and sprains, the most important and effective essential oil is Helichrysum. This essential oil has an incredible synergy of properties for healing of injuries accompanied by inflammation - the molecules in its makeup are pain relieving, anti-inflammatory and regenerative. It has been noted by one author as "practically a wonder cure" when used for injuries so often incurred by athletes. Further, it is an excellent choice for overall health, wellness and fitness, as there are no known side effects which can occur with pharmaceutical preparations for pain and inflammation. To use Helichrysum, simply place a small amount of the oil on the bruised area, either undiluted, or for larger areas or frequent applications, dilute to 10 or 20% in a carrier oil such as Jojoba. Relief is often quick, and injuries that may have otherwise taken many days to heal have been significantly improved in only a day or two. A blend of Helichrysum and Jojoba can also be used for chronic injuries such as tendonitis - simply massage a small amount into the affected area a few times a day.

Athletes of all ages playing hard will often incur minor cuts and scrapes. Essential oils have a broad range of antibiotic effects, and can prevent infection while speeding wound healing. Tea Tree oil, an essential oil distilled from a plant long used by native Australians for its healing properties, is highly effective antimicrobial properties. Lavender essential oil, distilled from the plant's flowering tops, is anti-inflammatory and regenerative. Together, they make a wonderful topical treatment for athletes of all ages. Blend the two oils together in equal parts and apply directly to cuts and scrapes after the wound has been properly cleansed. - if this is too strong a blend, simply apply a drop or two to the gauze portion of a band-aid and cover the wound for the same effect. The blend can be applied again whenever the dressing is changed. These essential oils are widely available in health food stores.

Finally, aside from the direct 'sports related' uses of essential oils, the health and fitness of any athlete should be supported for top performance. During periods of especially strenuous training or competition, athletes may be particularly susceptible to infectious illnesses - colds, flu and the like. Immune support can be provided by diffusing 'air clearing' essential oils like Eucalyptus, Tea Tree, Thyme, Rosemary and Lemon into the living space to disinfect the air and prevent transmission of illness. Another highly regarded method of strengthening the immune system is applying Niaouli essential oil directly to the body after a warm shower; ten to twenty drops rubbed into the skin is recommended by one of America's leading medical aromatherapists for this purpose.

These are just a few suggestions for incorporating essential oils into the life of the athlete to improve their health, fitness, and performance. There are many variations of the essential oils suggested - if one oil is found offensive, too stimulating, etc., try another, as this is usually the body's natural way saying the timing of a particular oil is not right, or the oil is not compatible with the individual's chemistry at the moment. Experimenting with essential oils can be extremely rewarding, and finding the right combination for support of sports performance can add a whole new dimension to one's athletic endeavors.

About the Author

The author has made available reports on specific anti-microbials such as tea tree essential oil and other therapeutic aromatics.  

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