Massage for Runners: The What, When & How

Runners love getting massages. Not only does it feel great, but it can also speed recovery, reduce muscles soreness, and facilitate injury healing. However, there is a lot of confusion when it comes to massage. When is the best time to get one? What type is best for runners? What common mistakes should I be wary of?

Having been a massage therapist for 4 years, I had the opportunity to work with a lot of runners. Not only did this experience help me identify a lot of the common questions and misconceptions about massage, but it also allowed me to test a variety of theories when it comes to the optimal timing, pressure, and massage modality.

In this article, I am going to share with you some of the different types of massage and when each can be most effectively utilized. I’m also going to outline when, and how often, you should schedule a massage to make sure you get maximum benefit without impacting your workouts or races.

What type of massage is best for runners

It’s not surprising that runners get a little confused about what type of massage would benefit them most. Wikipedia lists 31 different types of massage. Of course, some of these are obviously not specifically beneficial to athletes, but runners can go beyond the typical “sports massage” to get results. The following are the five most beneficial types of massages for runners:

Active release

Active release technique, also known as A.R.T. is massage technique that combines movement with specific, deep pressure to help relieve muscle adhesions and reduce scar tissue build-up.

During an A.R.T session, the therapist uses his or her hands to evaluate the texture, tightness and mobility of the soft tissue and then works to break up these adhesions with their hands, as well as movement of the muscle.

Active release is best used when treating a specific injury, especially one where the formation of scar tissue impacts the ability for the body to heal itself. Most notably, A.R.T. is an effective treatment method for hamstring injuries, plantar fasciitis, and shin splints.

Swedish Massage or Effleurage

Swedish massage is the most well-known of the massage modalities and is often associated with relaxation and pampering. However, Swedish massage can also benefit runners, especially before big competitions.

Swedish massage utilizes long, flowing strokes of various pressure, although usually light, to release muscle tension and increase blood flow.

Swedish massage is best used in the days before big competitions or as a recovery tool after hard workouts. The lighter, relaxing strokes help relieve stress and muscle tension without damaging the muscles, which is important if you have a big race approaching. A Swedish massage before a race, especially if you’re coming off a hard week of training, can help you reenergize, relax, and build your confidence in your ability to run fast.

Trigger point

Trigger point therapy is massage modality that targets muscle knots and areas of referred pain in the muscle tissue. Therapists target and find knots in the muscles or areas of referred pain and use deep pressure to help loosen the adhesions.

Like A.R.T., trigger point therapy is best used to treat injuries. Specifically, trigger point therapy is effective in the treatment of IT band tightness, calf strains (did you read our post looking at the association between age and calf injuries), and hamstring injuries.

Deep tissue massage

Most runners are familiar with deep tissue massage, which is often confused with deep pressure (like when you say “go harder”). Deep tissue massage targets both the superficial and deep layers of muscles and fascia and are often quite intense due to the deliberate, focused work.

Deep tissue massages typically focus in on a few specific problem areas and, unlike trigger point therapy, work the entire muscle. Because runners often have quite a few tight spots and interconnected issues, deep tissue massage is often the modality of choice during hard training segments.

When should you get a massage and how often

The frequency at which you get a massage is completely up to you, and depends on how much you like massage, how hard you’re training, and your budget.

If you’re able to afford it, getting a monthly or weekly massage can help prevent injuries by catching tight areas before they become problematic. If it is not possible to fit a recurring massage in your budget, consider one or two per training segment during your hardest training block or when you’re performing more intense speed work, which tends to elicit injuries that can be treated by massage, like tight hamstrings or hips.

I always recommend that runners get a massage either the evening after a hard workout, or the next morning. If the therapist is going deep or using methods like A.R.T., the muscles can often be sore or lethargic for a few days after a massage. Timing the massage as close to your last hard workout gives your body the most amount of time to recover and feel back to normal.

If you plan on getting a massage before your next big race, schedule it at least 3-5 days from the race. If it’s been a while since your last massage, stick to further out. Also note that the deeper the massage, the longer it takes for the body to recover and respond – just like running workouts.

Misconceptions and things to watch out for with massage

With those guidelines in mind, here are a few common mistakes runners make with massage:

Drink water lots of water after the session to help flush out some of the toxins and waste products that were flushed from the muscles. Some people report feeling sick after hard massage sessions. Generally, this means the muscles released a lot of toxins and drinking extra water will clear them out.

Massage does not have to hurt to be effective. While working on a tight, troubled area will certainly cause some discomfort, it shouldn’t leave bruising or cause you to jump off the table. If you do find yourself consistently bruised after massage sessions, your therapist may be going too hard.

It takes time to recover and not feel lethargic after a hard massage. If your legs feel a little dead the next day, that’s ok. This is why it’s important to schedule at least one easy day between a hard massage and a hard workout.

This article originally appeared on competitor.com

Tune Up: Sports Massage to Optimize Your Training

You are vigilant about your training and meticulous in your diet and fueling practices. Why then, are you not committed to receiving the bodywork that should be a regular element of your training?

"It's amazing how many athletes don't even think about getting bodywork, especially when they are in season," said Mary Owen, massage therapist with a concentration in sports therapy and myofascial release. "Regular maintenance is always recommended to athletes that are consistently overworking the same muscle groups. But during those tough parts of the year, when athletes are racing, competing and doing their most rigorous training, that's when it's most important."

"I like to compare our bodies to our cars. You have to get regular maintenance on your car. Without proper attention, they break down. Before preparing for a road trip, you take your car in to balance and check the tires, tune it up, and see if it's safe for the road. You should apply the same precautions to your body. Before anything, be it a marathon, a century ride or even surfing...warming up the body, stretching it and getting massaged to make sure your body is prepared for what's ahead is beneficial and will help in the long run (no pun intended)," Owen said with a laugh.

The Best Time for a Massage

Athletes are often confused about the best time to get body work. Right before a race? A week before the big event? A few hours after you cross the finish line? Or should you wait a few days?

"Ideally, athletes should get a tough, deep tissue massage three days to a week before a race or big event," Owen said. "And another massage the day before or morning of the race—but this one should be focused on stretching and isometric approaches, which concentrate on breathing and relaxing while the therapist massages and stretches you,"

"Right after a race is a great time to get a massage," she continued. "But you must make sure it's not vigorous. It should be more of a relaxing massage to calm your tight muscles. If you are in pain, make sure to ice your muscles for a few days and stretch. After three or four days of ice, if nothing is injured, this is the perfect time for a deep tissue massage and myofascial release."

Benefits of Massage

The terms deep tissue and myofascial release are often used together. Many think they are synonymous, but there are differences in these types of massage. Both techniques are very beneficial to athletes.

Deep tissue massage: The therapist works deep into the actual muscles, trigger points and tender points.

Myofascial release: The massage goes even deeper, concentrating on the fascia, fibers and connective tissue of the muscles, instead of the actual muscles.

With any massage—even a relaxing Swedish massage—there's still the benefit of blood and oxygen running through the body, breaking up adhesions in the body and flushing out toxins. But deep tissue, myofascial release, sports massage,?Thai massage and chiropractic work are recommended for athletes to ensure muscles are getting proper attention, and spine and hips are aligned and adjusted properly.

If you are in active training, such as training for a marathon, triathlon or century ride, a massage twice a month is recommended, if money and time allow.

Common Problems in Athletes

Often athletes can't identify the specific problems they are having, they just know they are experiencing pain. "Many athletes will come in complaining of aches and pains, stemming from their lower backs, but they don't realize what it is," Owen explained. "The majority of times, it's a sciatic nerve problem. A lot of people don't know the term, but they can identify the feeling and pain. I usually know right away according to what kind of sport they're involved with and their complaint."

Runners

Runners tend to have a lot of shin splints and sciatic nerve problems. "When working on runners, I usually focus on the legs, shins, thighs and hamstrings," Owen said. "I always tell them that if they aren't careful and their hips aren't balanced and aligned properly, it can dramatically change performance and alignment of your body. You could seriously injure yourself. It's important to stretch first and get aligned regularly. Wearing comfortable shoes helps too."

Cyclists

"Cyclists are really tough to work on. Their muscles are generally tighter than most athletes," explained Owen. "And they have to be really comfortable to get a massage because their groin muscles and the inside of their thighs are what need the most work. I make sure to employ proper draping and talk them through it so they are prepared and comfortable." Draping is a technique where therapists cover the entire body with a sheet and expose only the part being massaged.

Triathletes

Triathletes will often have many of the common alignment and muscle issues runners and cyclists have. "If I had only an hour to spend on a triathlete, I would start with their legs, get deeper work into their glutes and hips, and work on their mid-back area."

Swimmers

"Swimmers generally tend to have the least amount of pain out of the athletes I work on," Owen said. "But I always focus on their upper bodies—rotator cuffs, traps and neck muscles—since that is the most-overused part of a swimmer's body."

Do-it-yourself Bodywork Muscle Aids

Here are some do-it-yourself techniques to soothe overworked muscles and relieve muscle pain:

• Tennis Balls: Lay on the floor with a tennis ball—lay on top of it where your tender point is and roll around on the muscle for a few minutes, breathing deeply. You should feel a release.
• Muscle stick or rolling pin: Have someone roll it on your muscle for release.
• Stretching
• Ice
• Biofreeze: Good for acute injuries; prevents them from getting worse.
• Tiger Balm: Best for chronic and long-term injury and pain. The eucalyptus settles the muscles and produces a long-lasting effect.

"The body is an interesting thing, but unlike our cars, we're stuck with them for the rest of our lives," said Owen. "Why not take care of it now, so instead of being stuck in a wheelchair watching your grandson play basketball—you can be on his team playing with him.

This article originally appeared on active.com and was written by Mary Owen.

How Osteopathic Manual Therapy Relieves Arthritic Pain

As Osteopaths we spend a vast amount of time dealing with pain and suffering caused by arthritis. Many people mistakenly assume that they must learn to live with their symptoms. In many cases,  Osteopaths are able to help considerably. Pain relief and lifestyle management improve the quality of life for arthritis sufferers.  With Arthritis Awareness Week 17 – 23 March, we look at how Osteopathy can help Arthritis.

What Is Arthritis?

Arthritis can been divided into two types – degenerative and inflammatory. Degenerative arthritis or osteoarthritis, is very common and is often referred to as general ‘wear and tear’. It is usually experienced in the neck, low back, fingers, hips and knees. Typical symptoms include joint swelling, pain and stiffness.

Inflammatory arthritis, such as Rheumatoid arthritis, is far less common but can affect people at a younger age and the symptoms are usually more severe. These types are more systemic and affect the whole body.

Osteoarthritis is a very mis-understood condition. Many people believe that it cannot affect you until you are much older. The truth is that ‘wear and tear’ can affect your joints as early as your late 20s. Factors such as a poor posture, bad lifting technique, lack of exercise and an accumulation of old injuries can predispose to early osteoarthritis.

Symptoms of Arthritis

Arthritis may be hereditary but is generally caused by poor posture, heavy manual work and previous injury. Osteopathy is an effective way to manage arthritis and the associated symptoms:

• Neck Pain
• Low back pain
• Hip/Knee Pain
• Early morning stiffness
• Joint Pain
• Swelling and Inflamation
• Referred muscle pain
• Lack of mobility

How can Osteopathy help?

There is no cure for arthritis however osteopathic treatment can do a great deal to reduce pain, ease swelling and improve mobility and range of joint movement. Management focuses on eliminating symptoms through early diagnosis and improving lifestyle to prevent further degeneration.

Osteopathic treatment involves gentle manual osteopathic techniques on joints, muscles and ligaments. This may involve gentle stretching, mobility, and traction techniques. Exercises to do at home may also be prescribed to improve joint function and to reduce muscle spasm. Exercise in warm water or salt baths may also be recommended.

This article originally appeared on staytuned.com.au and was written by Dr. Boris Lukin

3 Exercises For More Productive Meetings

Conversational Blind Spots

Three decades ago I began my first experiment in Conversational Intelligence®. I was hired by Union Carbide to work with 17 high-powered sales executives in danger of losing a bid for a key contract. My job was to figure out how they could raise their game and beat the other seven competitors.

For two weeks I had them role-play potential conversations with “customers” and charted what they said. The patterns were clear: The executives used “telling statements” 85% of the time, leaving only 15% for questions. And almost all the questions they asked were actually statements in disguise. They were talking and talking, trying to bring their counterparts around to their point of view—all the time thinking that they were still conducting good, productive conversations.

Having observed thousands of executives in similar, real-world situations—from prospecting to performance reviews, business development to innovation—I can tell you this is a common problem. People often think they’re talking to each other when they’re really talking past each other. They carry on monologues, not dialogues.

There is a biological explanation for this: when we express ourselves, our bodies release a higher level of reward hormones, and we feel great. The more we talk, the better we feel. Our bodies start to crave that high, and we become blind to the conversational dynamics. While we’re being rewarded, the people we’re talking to might feel cut off, invisible, unimportant, minimized and rejected, which releases the same neurochemicals as physical pain.

Feeling rejection sends them into a “fight, flight” response, releasing cortisol, which floods the system and shuts down the prefrontal cortex, or executive brain, letting the amygdala, or limbic brain, take over. To compound conversational challenges, the brain disconnects about every 12 to 18 seconds to evaluate and process; hence, we’re often paying as much attention to our own thoughts as we are to other people’s words.

These are natural impulses. But we have to learn to master them because clear two-way, compassionate, non-judgmental communication is necessary in leadership—it is how deals get done, projects get run, and profits get earned.

Recognize your blind spots. Stop assuming that others see what you see, feel what you feel, and think what you think (that is rarely the case). Your blind spots cause you to fail to recognize that emotions, such as fear and distrust, change how you and others interpret and talk about reality. You think you understand and remember what others say, when you really only remember what you think about what they say. Don’t underestimate your propensity to have conversational blind spots!

Start paying attention to and minimizing the time you “own” the conversational space. Start sharing that space by asking open-ended discovery questions, to which you don’t know the answers, so you stay curious. For example, you might ask, what influenced your thinking? Then listen non-judgmentally to the answers and ask follow-up questions.

Through coaching, the Union Carbide sales team began to notice when they were making assumptions, interpreting incorrectly, and jumping to conclusions. They started asking discovery questions and paying close attention to their customers’ answers, which expanded their frame of reference and gave them new insights into needs and opportunities. In so doing, the executives presented themselves as conversationally intelligent partners, not sales people—and they won the contract!

Hooked on Being Right

When you are in a tense meeting trying to defend your position on a big project and start to feel yourself losing ground, your voice gets louder. You talk over one of your colleagues and correct his point of view. He pushes back, so you try to convince everyone you’re right. It feels like an out-of-body experience—and in many ways it is. In terms of its neurochemistry, your brain has been hijacked.

In situations of high stress, fear or distrust, the hormone and neurotransmitter cortisol floods the brain. Executive functions that help us with advanced thought processes like strategy, trust building, and compassion shut down. And the amygdala, our instinctive brain, takes over. The body makes a chemical choice about how best to protect itself—in this case from the shame and loss of power associated with being wrong—and as a result is we are unable to regulate its our emotions or handle the gaps between expectations and reality. So we default to one of four responses: fight (keep arguing the point), flight (revert to, and hide behind, group consensus), freeze (disengage from the argument by shutting up) or appease (make nice with your adversary by simply agreeing with him).

These harmful responses prevent the honest and productive sharing of information and opinion. I find that the fight response is by far the most damaging to relationships. It is also, unfortunately, the most common. That’s partly due to another neurochemical process. When you argue and win, your brain floods with different hormones: adrenaline and dopamine, which makes you feel good, dominant, even invincible. It’s a feeling that we want to replicate. So the next time we’re in a tense situation, we fight again—and thus become addicted to being right.

Many successful leaders suffer from this addiction. They are skilled at fighting for their point of view (which is often right), and yet they are unaware of the dampening impact their behavior has on the people around them. If one person is getting high off his or her dominance, others are being drummed into submission, experiencing the fight, flight, freeze or appease response, which diminishes collaborative impulses.

Luckily, there’s another hormone that can feel just as good as adrenaline: oxytocin. It’s activated by human connection, and it opens up the networks in our executive brain, or prefrontal cortex, increasing our ability to trust and open ourselves to sharing. Your goal as a leader should be to spur the production of oxytocin in yourself and others, while avoiding (in communication) those spikes of cortisol and adrenaline.

Three Exercises to Try Today

            Here are three exercises to do at work to cure your addiction to being right:

1. Set rules of engagement. If you’re heading into a meeting that could get testy, start by outlining rules of engagement. Have everyone suggest ways to make it a productive, inclusive conversation and write the ideas down for everyone to see. For example, you might agree to give people extra time to explain their ideas and to listen without judgment. These practices will counteract the tendency to fall into harmful conversational patterns. Afterwards, consider see how you and the group did and seek to do even better next time.

2. Listen with compassion. In one-on-one conversations, make a conscious effort to speak less and listen more. The more you learn about other peoples’ perspectives, the more likely you are to feel compassion for them. And when you do that for others, they’ll want to do it for you, creating a virtuous circle.

3. Plan who speaks. In situations when you know one person is likely to dominate a group, create an opportunity for everyone to speak. Ask all parties to identify who in the room has important information, perspectives, or ideas to share. List them and the areas they should speak about on a flip chart and use that as your agenda, opening the floor to different speakers, asking open-ended questions and taking notes.

Connecting and bonding with others trumps conflict. I’ve found that even the best fighters—the proverbial smartest guys in the room—can break their addiction to being right by getting hooked on oxytocin-inducing behavior instead.

This article originally appeared on psychologytoday.com and was written by Judith E. Glaser.