Your Best Foot Forward: How Massage Can Help You Keep The Course On Your Running Journey
We’ve all heard the statement, “No pain, no gain.” As athletes, we tend to take that as a training strategy.
Pushing yourself to a point of being uncomfortable makes you a better athlete. Pushing yourself beyond that is when injury can occur.
Discomfort is necessary, but pain isn’t.
I’m not going to claim to be a running expert. I ran in high school, I completed a few 10ks and half marathons, I am currently training for a triathlon, and I only took last place in one race. I’m not good. I fit into whatever category is lower than amature, but I do know a thing or two about running.
Most importantly, I know common injuries and ailments that runners face, both personally and through my career as a Licensed Massage Therapist.
Massage can be a very beneficial part to any runner’s training plan. From treating current injuries to preventing new ones, here are a few ways that massage can keep you running pain free.
Remove The Pain From Your Shin Splints
Those pesky shin splints! This is a blanket term for lower leg pain. It can range from strain to the muscles, to inflammation of the membrane surrounding the bone, to stress fractures.
The most common form of shin splints is medial tibial stress syndrome, which is a fancy name for an injury to muscles on the inside of your lower leg.
If it’s a true stress fracture, you should definitely come get a massage! Mostly because you will have so much free time because you shouldn’t be running. Too soon?
On a serious note, massage at this point focuses on helping with symptoms and addressing other muscles that may have been compensating from the injury.
Relieve Your Knee Pain
Some of the largests structures of the body interact with the knee. The quads, hamstrings, and IT band all help to either flex, straighten, or stabilize the knee.
The knee is a relatively small joint for such large structures to be interacting with it. Because of that, tightness or weakness or imbalance of these structures can cause knee pain.
Massage can help knee pain by loosening or toning surrounding muscles, breaking up scar tissue within the joint, and treating trigger points that refer pain to the knee.
I had knee pain for months, and after an hour on the massage table, I walked away completely pain free. I simply had knots in my quads that were referring pain to my knee.
I’ve seen the same results for some of my clients.
There are times that the knee is structurally damaged. Arthritis is also a very common source of knee pain. While massage won’t reverse those conditions, it can help make the pain more manageable.
Alleviate Your Hip Pain
Much like knee pain, many large structures are involved with the hip joint, and just like the knee, those muscles can add to hip pain.
Massaging the surrounding structures can help the hip move more freely and without restrictions.
Arthritis is an issue found in the hip, but bursitis (inflammation of the joint fluid) is also a common condition. While massage won’t fix bursitis, it can help alleviate symptoms, as well as help draw out the inflammation to help you heal faster.
Heal The Aches In Your Feet (Plantar Fasciitis)
Whether it’s true plantar fasciitis (inflammation of the plantar fascia of the foot), or strain the muscle fibers of the foot, running on painful feet really sucks.
I could go on and on about this condition, but instead here’s a video!
Get Your Motivation To Run Back
I feel like every athlete has lost some desire to train at some point in their fitness journey. Running can be just as mentally draining as it is physically.
A massage is a way to recharge the body. Massage can reduce stress, fatigue, and anxiety. It can improve sleep, boost your immune system, and leave you feeling recharged.
If you are in pain, achy, or just drained, be sure to listen to your body, take a REST DAY, and come get a massage.
*** I am a Licensed Massage Therapist not a doctor. If you feel as though you have one of these conditions, please reach out to your physician. I cannot diagnose, prescribe, or promise the effectiveness of these treatments. ***