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Massage for runners

Anyone who is very serious about their running would benefit greatly by getting a sports massage or deep tissue massage at least every two weeks and this is why.

As a result of training on a regular basis, there is a build up of lactic acid (toxins) in the muscle tissue which needs to be removed in order for the muscles to function properly and get the nutrients and oxygen they need.

In order to get the best out of our hard workouts and racing we need to have fresh legs. One of the ways we can get fresh legs when running high weekly mileage is to have massages. But for most of us, we do not put in the time to stretch properly after our runs because we are so busy and we do not take stretching seriously.

Sports and deep tissue massage will not only supplement our lack of stretching but will work on our deeper layers of muscle tissue which we quite often cannot stretch because of a bio-mechanical impingement.

Massage will take you a long way. If you want to perform better and recover better, try it! You won't be disappointed as your workouts and racing times improve dramatically with light, fresh legs.

Sports massage

Sports massage is a special form of massage which is typically used before, after or during competition to prepare the athletes body for peak performance, reduce muscle fatigue, reduce muscle tension (tight muscles) and to prevent injuries. Sports massage can be aimed at healing strained muscles and allowing healthy muscle to reach peak performance while minimizing the risk of injury.

Deep tissue massage

Deep tissue massage focuses on the deeper layers of the muscle tissue. This massage aims at releasing chronic patterns of tension with slow deep strokes and deep finger pressure. Deep tissue massage releases sore, tight muscles, to prevent those niggling injuries that often get in the way of our performance whether we are a runner or a jogger. A deep tissue massage not only loosens muscle tissue, but releases toxins from the muscles (lactic acid) and gets the blood flowing into the area so the muscle can "breath" again. You may be a little sore for a couple of days after some deep tissue work but you will feel better than ever after that.

Credits - WorldwideRunning.com would like to thank the Personal Running Solutions website (www.personalrunningsolutions.com) for the authorization to reprint the article "Massage for runners" by Paul McRae.