If you are planning in taking part in an organised run, whether it’s a Marathon, 10K, 5K for example, you may want to think about having a pre-run massage as there are several benefits to be had. Some people are wary about having someone massage them before an important race.
We advise to have a massage a few days before to allow time for the muscles to recover and be ‘run ready’. It is also a good idea to have a few massages in the lead up to an important race, rather than a one-off, this will allow your body to get used to the manipulations used, and also for you to get to know the therapist and they you so they can work with you and have a good understanding about what you need.
Having a massage can increase your circulation due to vasodilation and the mechanical pumping and squeezing. This then helps increases the supply of metabolic waste products from tissue assisting in recovery from your activity. It also increases the supply of nutrients to vascular tissue enhancing its health and aids in healing and repair helping to reduce pain by the removal of pressure build up due to congestion and metabolic irritants.
The relaxation and mobilisation of soft tissues benefits from an increase of range of movement, thereby reducing risk of injury and aiding in efficiency of movement. It also can aid in pain reduction by releasing tension in muscles and increases functioning of the muscular system.
We work with our clients with a personal and holistic approach meaning we don’t just look at what massage they may need, but we consider other elements, such as their posture, aftercare including stretches, nutrition (Annie Bassil who is based at our venue is a fantastic nutritionist).
It is important to note that the effects of massage are cumulative. This means that the effects and benefits increase with sequential, repetitive massages. Receiving one massage prior to a race will not reap the same benefits as a regular program of massage therapy throughout your training. Massage therapy also works best as a preventative program.
