Maria Pena, Massage Therapist
The London Marathon has been and gone for 2018, but thousands of runners again
pounded the streets of London pushing their bodies to the limit in order to complete the 26.2 mile race.
At the end of the London Marathon many of the charities that support the race set up areas for their runners to return to and offer a post-race sports massage. I have volunteered for Cancer Research UK and worked alongside about 50 other volunteer massage therapists in a huge post race reception room close to the finish of the race. All of the runners had their stories to tell of how their race went and why they wanted to run and it was great to meet so many of them and help them on their way to recovery.
A post-race sports massage generally lasts about 15 minutes.
Benefits of Post-Race Sports Massage
- Increases circulation in the muscle
- Helps decrease muscle tension by relaxing and lengthening the muscles
- Relieves pain or muscle cramps, aches and soreness
- Helps to speed up the recovery process for the body
CLICK HERE to find our more about massage therapy at Reflex Spinal Health
Reflex Spinal Health recently supported the Wokingham Half Marathon on 18th February 2018 and offered pre and post-race sports massage to the runners taking part.
About half way…
I recently ran my first ever full marathon at the Clarendon marathon in October 2017. Like many people it had always been on my list of challenges to tick off of the list. I actually surprised myself by really enjoying the race. Conditions on the day were really good. The Clarendon is a trail marathon so is run almost entirely cross country.
Although the day was rain free it had rained quite a lot prior the race which made conditions in some places VERY muddy and quite challenging. For me, the first part of the race was really spent counting down the miles. Getting to the twenty mile mark was the first goal and the half way mark was a real boost. The last ten miles was when I found the race really started to get tough and each mile seemed to get longer and longer. Completing the marathon was a great feeling and was filled with relief and a sense of achievement.
When should you have a deep tissue massage?
After running a marathon, ideally it is best to wait about three days before getting a deep
one mile to go
tissue sports massage.
Runners may feel really sore the first few days after the marathon due to delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Sports Massage can help decrease the amount of pain and soreness in the week after the race.
Massage therapy helps to promote healing of your soft tissue. After a marathon your body is probably suffering from minor strains and micro-tearing of muscle tissue. Massage therapy can help your body recover quicker and heal in a natural healthy way.
The Finish!
After months of training for a marathon you may have some overuse or nagging injury such as knee pain from a tight ITB, or back pain from tight hamstrings or hip flexors. A massage therapist can assess these issues as well as help treat them, and massage can help you to continue improving your performance and function!
Regular deep tissue massage during your training can help you avoid chronic pain, can improve mobility and prevent injury. If you have questions about the different types of massage therapy please ask one of the Reflex massage therapy team for some advice. We are easily seen in our bright orange tops! We are usually working directly alongside the chiropractors and osteopaths delivering combined care, to give you the best results possible.
