Massage after Marathon
Posted by
kayse g.
congrats!! if you've managed to complete a marathon, your body most definitely deserves a massage! not only will you feel great, it will help those overworked tissues relax & recover that much faster...
since you've just pushed your body to its limits, it's very important that you receive the correct kind of massage, tailored just for you & the state your muscles are in. even if you are ordinarily a die-hard fan of Deep Tissue bodywork, often times it is a mistake to push into the muscles too deeply post-race.
(for those of you who can barely walk or straighten your legs: this means you!) running long distances causes small strains &/or tears in the muscle tissue, and the goal of post-race massage is to speed recovery, not break it down further.
if you are feeling pretty great, you will want a medium pressure massage that incorporates a lot of Swedish-type strokes and stretching to boost your circulation, bring fresh O2 to your muscle fibers, and push out that lactic acid. a warm bath, plenty of water, vitamin-rich foods with some protein incorporated, and sleep will all help you recover faster. i find soaking achey feet in epsom salt baths really helpful, too.
if you're pretty hobbled or feeling like you just got clobbered, take a lukewarm bath followed with icing the spots that are in pain. think "RICE" - rest, ice, chocolate and elevate. (ok, so "chocolate" is my own personal editing of that acronym... it's actually "compression")
if you do get a massage immediately after, make sure it is light, sweeping and gentle. once your body is able to walk a few miles comfortably again & any swelling has subsided, you'll be all set to go back to your Deep Tissue!
Massage after Marathon
Posted by kayse g.
congrats!! if you've managed to complete a marathon, your body most definitely deserves a massage! not only will you feel great, it will help those overworked tissues relax & recover that much faster...
since you've just pushed your body to its limits, it's very important that you receive the correct kind of massage, tailored just for you & the state your muscles are in. even if you are ordinarily a die-hard fan of Deep Tissue bodywork, often times it is a mistake to push into the muscles too deeply post-race.
(for those of you who can barely walk or straighten your legs: this means you!) running long distances causes small strains &/or tears in the muscle tissue, and the goal of post-race massage is to speed recovery, not break it down further.
if you are feeling pretty great, you will want a medium pressure massage that incorporates a lot of Swedish-type strokes and stretching to boost your circulation, bring fresh O2 to your muscle fibers, and push out that lactic acid. a warm bath, plenty of water, vitamin-rich foods with some protein incorporated, and sleep will all help you recover faster. i find soaking achey feet in epsom salt baths really helpful, too.
if you're pretty hobbled or feeling like you just got clobbered, take a lukewarm bath followed with icing the spots that are in pain. think "RICE" - rest, ice, chocolate and elevate. (ok, so "chocolate" is my own personal editing of that acronym... it's actually "compression")
if you do get a massage immediately after, make sure it is light, sweeping and gentle. once your body is able to walk a few miles comfortably again & any swelling has subsided, you'll be all set to go back to your Deep Tissue!