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 being the pre- and post- exercise (or competition) massage. Long used by top athletes around the world, sports massage with essential oils plays an important part in warming up the muscles before exertion and removing lactic acid (thereby speeding recovery) after a hard effort. Massage formulas often these essential oils - Eucalyptus, for invigoration, circulation and opening airways; Lavender, with anti-inflammatory effects, relieves pain, relaxes spasms, and brings mental calm without sedation; Rosemary relieves pain, stimulates the mind and body, and has a warming effect on the muscles; Juniper Berry, used in the post-exercise formula, detoxifies and helps eliminate lactic acid from muscles; and Sweet Marjoram which helps relieve cramping in over-exerted muscles.

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.

Aromatherapy oils can be used during pre and post exercise baths and showers as well, using the same oils and blends mentioned above. Be sure to add any oils to the bathwater after the bath is drawn so they do not evaporate before you get in. Before showers, essential oils can be applied undiluted to the body; this is particularly advised post-exertion to support the elimination of metabolic wastes. One drop each of Rosemary, Lemon, Eucalyptus and Peppermint essential oils can be ideal for this purpose. After a shower or bath is an excellent time to apply a massage blend to the entire body - the pores are open and the skin is clean, enhancing absorption. Choose a stimulating or relaxing blend depending on your condition.

Sometimes the going gets a little more rough for all athletes; injuries such as sprains, strains and bruises are common in many sports. The most important prescription for any injury is rest, but most athletes, eager to maintain their hard-earned level of fitness, rarely heed this suggestion. Enter the healing support of essential oils. Many essential oils are powerful healers of skin, muscle and connective tissue. Several well-known oils have strong anti-inflammatory properties, and contain safe varieties of ‘ketones’ which signal the regeneration of tissue. On top of that, there’s the stress-relieving ‘aromatherapy’ aspect, which can further enhance the healing process in nearly all cases.

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.

Beyond the obvious direct applications, the overall health and fitness of any athlete can be supported using essential oils. Athletes can be particularly susceptible to illness during hard periods of training and competition. Diffusing Eucalyptus, Thyme, Tea Tree and/or Lemon in the air can reduce the chance of illness. Niaouli is an excellent oil for supporting the immune system in general, and should be applied neat to the chest and neck after showers for best absorption and effect (use 10-20 drops). A strong immune system will always go a long way to keeping an athlete happy!

This is a brief overview of many common applications of aromatherapy for supporting the health, fitness and performance of any athlete. There are a great many essential oils available with similar properties that may work better for some individuals. Such is the nature of aromatherapy - if a particular aroma or oil is appealing, it will probably be helpful at that time; if the aroma is too intense or offensive, it may be over stimulating or otherwise incompatible with the body chemistry at that time. With a little research and experimentation, one can certainly find a place for the natural healing powers of essential oils in their sports and fitness program!