Sports Massage for Fulham Runners And Their Performance Wellness

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Tuesday, 22 November 2016

Running has become one of London’s most popular recreational and exercise activity. It can become a highly addictive pursuit, combining the benefits of having outdoor time as you jog along the Thames in Bishop’s Park with cardiovascular stimulation and an almost meditative rhythm effect where you can be alone with your thoughts and put the World to rights. Adding in the social aspect of befriending likeminded SW6 locals through Fulham Running Club or the Fulham Palace 5km park run and you could say it beats the gym any day – weather permitting!

Running is an impact sport. As a result, every week in our Fulham massage clinic we will have runners requesting massage to treat sore legs, shin splints or runners knee. Massage does feel great and many runners use it to speed recovery, reduce muscle soreness and facilitate injury healing but why use it as part of your running support programme?

Sports Massage: Why is massage effective for runners?

Running being an impact sport, can cause the body to jamb, stiffen and twist a little, especially if the body has existing biomechanical conditions such as an externally rotated foot or a pelvic imbalance. Muscle stiffness can throw you off your gait, leading to or causing biomechanical issues in the joints, particularly the knees, hips and ankles. People new to running can especially benefit from massage as their bodies can usually do with a helping hand to coax the soft tissues and joints to become locomotive in their running stride rather than the shuffle like motion that can commonly be seen amongst those late to running. Using massage to release the twists in muscles and connective tissue will increase the blood supply to and from the area, bringing in nutrients and oxygen to repair damage and flushing out lactic and carbonic acid to reduce pain and swelling – keeping you on the road, fit, healthy and pain free!

When is the best time to get a massage?

The best time to get a massage is before you get injured. We all know that car engines will last forever if we service them at regular intervals. The human body is similar. However, there are many factors than can determine the need and frequency of when to receive a massage for running performance. It depends on your existing body condition, how many miles you are putting on the clock each week, your muscular elasticity, stress levels and if you are getting enough sleep or nutrition to maintain such a physical activity. We will always recommend getting a massage on a day where you don’t exercise heavily afterwards. Deep tissue massage will have longer lasting benefits if you can keep your muscles relaxed afterwards. This will allow the muscle memory to reboot, encouraging your muscles to naturally release after exercise to boost your recovery process and allow the muscles to be fresher and more fuelled for their next adventure.

Which type of massage is best for runners?

Fulham people are no different to others when it comes to deciding what massage is best for the outcome they would like to achieve. Sports massage, trigger points, deep tissue massage, fascia release and swedish massage are commonly used terms and it can be quite confusing as to what to ask for. At Fulham Massage and Wellness we individualise our treatments to suit your body and to gain the outcome you ask for. Our therapists are well trained and can combine all the above massage types to tailor your treatment. When you phone to book your appointment, simply discuss your needs with our reception team and they will match you up with the therapist who is best for you.  

What common mistakes should I be wary of?

The most common mistake that we encounter in our Fulham clinic is when a client books in for their massage a couple of weeks before the London marathon or first big event and have a shopping list of complaints that they would like fixed beforehand. Too often we wait for the hole to appear in the roof before we take action. Having remedial massage work done for running injuries is usually best done when your training schedule is light. Your body will need time to recover from deep massage work outs – not to mention that pain is usually a result of an existing dysfunction. At times treatment for one symptom can remove that pain but open up a can of worms by triggering change in the biomechanics, uncovering more serious muscular imbalances. Running with poor biomechanics can cause secondary issues such as back pain or migraines as the impact will cause compression in areas that become overloaded. Our advice is that if you are thinking of training for a challenging event like a marathon or about to run your first Bishop’s park run, take action and book a massage now. This will enable our massage therapist to give you a great massage and advise you on your condition and possibly unmask and treat any issues before they turn into problems.

To book a treatment or for a telephone consultation, call 020 37949760 and will be delighted to help!