Let's get physical (therapy)!

My ankle (hereafter known as The Ankle of Terror) has been giving a lot of pain over the last few weeks so I’ve hung up my trainers for the week and decided to book in for a sports massage today.  I wasn’t sure what to expect as I entered The Medical at the bottom of Christmas Steps.  I was however happy to find out it wasn’t a ‘specialist massage parlour’ which adorn the streets of Bristol.

After filling in the medical form (which I managed to do completely incorrectly) I was offered a cuppa and my therapist arrived.  We had a chat about my lifestyle (hardly a champagne lifestyle), my goals and my current activity before having my legs assessed. 

Essentially my two calves are like ROCKS.  The therapist massaged the tightest parts of my legs releasing the tension and freeing up my legs.  To sum up the feeling it felt like he was intentionally giving me cramp, it was painful, and it got so intense at one point that it felt my leg would snap in two.  Clearly it didn’t, but as I hobbled back to the car the ankle of terror felt better, it still needs rest, but it does feel better.

If after the 10k you’ve been in pain, pain isn’t normal and all it might take is a massage, my experience has been of a highly positive and professional staff.  Just don’t try and book into one called Blondies, I don’t think they offer those sorts of ‘services’.

Sports Massage - when, how and why?

With the influx of runners coming to our clinic ahead of the London Marathon on Sunday, I feel prompted to write about the use of sports massage in the lead up and after endurance events. It is important for muscles to be “primed” prior to a big race, but you don’t want to have a massage in the 48-72 hours before  an event, as the post treatment soreness can do you more harm than good. After the race, an “active” recovery and taking in energy via food or drink in the first half an hour is the key to reducing muscle soreness and aiding muscle recovery. Continued gentle movement, and avoiding standing around is important, and evidence shows tucking into a well deserved protein rich meal post race  helps muscles recover more effectively. 

The time to have a sports massage is when you are at the peak of your training, for example, a couple of days after your longest run, and a week out from a race. After a half marathon or marathon, a recovery sports massage is really useful between two and seven days post event.