Massage for Runners … its all about optimising recovery

We are introducing a new service: Runners Massage a special service to assist runners to optimise their recovery the massage will

  • flush out all the waste products in the tired muscles
  • address micro tears in the muscles

which rejuvenates the tired heavy muscles making them feel light.

The goal for runners is to first and foremost prevent the kind of wear and tear that comes with putting physical demands on your body. Yes; running is fantastic and ultimately good for your overall health, but if you are going to push your body to its limits you must prepare it and maintain it to avoid potential injury.

With strenuous running, your muscles can lose their ability to relax and they become shorter and tighter.   Chronically tight muscles will lose their flexibility and that is really asking for trouble, as it makes you so much more susceptible to injury.  If your muscles lose flexibility, they can easily pull or tear, and tight muscles become very sore. Blood flow is poor through tightened muscles (ischemia) and that also cause pain.  Massage stretches the muscles in a much more specific way than stretching after a run, to regain lost flexibility.

Click here to book your runners massage

 

Related Posts

  • Scientific Evidence for massage reducing muscle pain

    I would say the number one reason for booking with Vitality Therapy is muscle pain in either

    • Shoulders
    • Neck
    • Lower Back
    • Knees
    • Elbows
    • Headaches
    I know that new clients often come to us because we were recommended by their colleagues; who came to us with muscle pain and found massage relieved it.  So my clinical experience is consistent with the view that massage has been traditionally used to relieve pain.  But what about the scientific evidence? Lower back pain is the most common reason for visiting your GP and hence one of the most studied areas of massage.  Several scientific studies have concluded that massage therapy is more effective than a placebo for sub acute and chronic lower back pain.  The evidence suggest that massage therapy achieved significant client satisfaction and reduction in pain levels, both in the short and long term. References
    1. Cherkin D, Sherman K, Deyo R, Shekelle P. A review of the evidence for the effectiveness, safety, and cost of acupuncture, massage therapy, and spinal manipulation for back pain. Ann Intern Med 2003; 138(11): 898-906.
    2. Chou R, Huffman L. Nonpharmacologic therapies for acute and chronic low back pain: a review of the evidence for an American Pain Society/American College of Physicians clinical practice guideline. Ann Intern Med 2007; 147(7): 492-504.
    3. Dryden T, Baskwill A, Preyde M. Massage therapy for the orthopaedic patient: a review. Orthop Nurs 2004; 23(5): 327-34.
    4. Furlan A, Brosseau L, Imamura M, Irvin E. Massage for low-back pain: a systematic review within the framework of the Cochrane Collaboration Back Review Group. Spine 2002; 27(17): 1896-910.
    5. Imamura M, Furlan A, Dryden T, Irvin E. Evidence-informed management of chronic low back pain with massage. Spine J 2008; 8(1): 121-33.
    6. Tsao J. Effectiveness of Massage Therapy for Chronic, Non-malignant Pain: A Review. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2007; 4(2): 165-79.
    7. van Tulder M, Furlan A, Gagnier J. Complementary and alternative therapies for lower back pain. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol 2005; 19(4): 639-54
     

  • Are acupressure points the same as trigger points?

    In last week's article entitled Why do your muscles hurt? I explained what trigger points were.   In this article I want to explain the difference between acupressure points and trigger points. Acupressure points (are the same points used by Acupuncturists) are situated on the meridians.  With acupressure they are stimulated by the application of pressure from the fingers & elbows to relieve

    • pain
    • muscular tension
    • headaches
    These points are naturally occurring points in the body that are stimulated to release endorphins (the body's pain killers) and assist the body to heal itself.  When you book a Seated Acupressure Massage treatment we are applying pressure to the acupressure points to release muscle tension and release endorphins. On the other hand, trigger points are highly irritated points or bands of skeletal muscle that is painful to the touch and that can give rise to referred pain & tenderness. So acupressure points are good and trigger points are bad as they cause pain!
  • Tension headache

    Is your headache a tension headache?

    Tension headaches last at least 30 minutes but they can last much longer, sometimes for several days. Common symptoms of tension headaches include: pain on both sides of [...]