The Benefits of Sports Massage Presented By PSOAS Massage+Bodywork!

Psoas Massage + Bodywork believes that, while there are a multitude of ways that people can run effectively, there is a single, most efficient way for “you” to run. This way is solely based on your physical attributes and limitations.

Our specialists will help you increase your attributes and decrease your limitations in order to produce your most efficient running form. The City 13.1 training program combined with Psoas Sports Massage is a great recipe for a successful half marathon.

Benefits of Sports Massage
-Increases Range of Motion (ROM)
-Decreases injury potential – we catch problems before you feel them
-Knowledge – increased awareness of body
-Removes and prevents adhesions
-Personalized stretching techniques for your body
-Speeds recovery of muscle and tendons after hard exertion
-Increases efficiency of muscle use
-Reduces stiffness and soreness
-Relaxes muscles
-Increases oxygen and nutrient absorption and removes lactic acid

Stay aware of your body and contact a professional as soon as you start to feel something may be out of sorts, abnormally sore, or if you feel lasting pain.

How to use Sports Massage to aid in your training

Professional, collegiate and Olympic athletes can receive bodywork daily. Competitive runners and those that are very motivated can receive sessions weekly. The physical, mental, educational and confidence boosting benefits will be substantial. Sports Massage helps decrease injury occurrence, and the amount of time it takes to heal.

Your Psoas Sports Massage Specialist can help create a unique plan for you. Below are common schedules for a ten week training program such as yours. These 3 plans range from what will be the most helpful and lead to a successful training program, to the least amount of sports massage we suggest for this type of program:

4 Sports Massage Scheduling Possibilities
-Aggressive: Weekly sessions
-Moderate: A session in week 1, 4, 6, 8, 9 and a day or two before the race
-Minimal: A session in week 2, 6 and 9 – leaving possibility for a session in week 10, if needed
-Spot: On an as-needed basis dependent upon physical injury, pain or soreness

A post event massage will help alleviate competitive strain and inflammation, substantially decreasing recovery time. It will also prepare you ready for your next training cycle.

Your massage frequency is a personal decision based on personal factors:
-Length of race and training
-Running experience
-Desire to decrease time (many simply want to finish – and that’s cool)
-Injury history
-Age
-Financial and time constraints

Common Causes of Injury
-Over- or under- stretching
-Poor equipment
-Over-training; signs include decreasing performance, heavy legs, slow recovery, training runs feel harder than expected or past runs, loss of enthusiasm
-Under-training
-Poor hydration
-Change of running terrain or hard terrain like concrete
-Lack of body awareness
-Inadequate warm-up
-Being too cold during run
-Returning from injury to quickly or without proper treatment

Common Running Injuries
-Achilles Tendonitis
-Muscle and Tendon Strain – achilles, calf, hamstring, quadriceps, hip flexor
-Ankle Sprain
-Ilio-tibial Band Syndrome (IT Band)
-Plantar Fasciitis
-Runner’s Knee
-Shin Splints
-Stress Fracture of the heel or long bones of the foot

The first form of treatment for an injury is RICE:
-Rest – eliminate stress to an injury
-Ice – reduces swelling (20 minutes on, 40 minutes off – (2 -4 times daily)
-Compression - reduces swelling
-Elevation – limits fluid buildup

How to Avoid Injury
-Receive regular sports massage during training
-Use correct equipment (be fitted for the right shoes for your feet; orthotics if needed)
-Ice, ice, ice
-Learn how to train properly – don’t over or under-train
-Learn to stretch properly
-Hydrate

Stay aware of your body and contact a professional as soon as you start to feel something may be out of sorts, abnormally sore, or if you feel lasting pain.

For more info or to schedule an appointment contact
Psoas Massage + Bodywork.
www.psoasbodywork.com
info@psoasbodywork.com
415.227.0331