Sports massage and London Marathon

I was delighted to have treated several runners with massage for the 2011 London Marathon. Many have discovered the benefits of massage for running and incorporate regular deep tissue massage sessions into their training schedule.

Deep tissue massage is a key weapon in the armoury of any London Marathon runner whether they are new to the sport or a seasoned marathoner. Raynor massage can be more effective than regular sports massage as it treats the whole body, working alongside the body’s own healing processes, improving circulation and accelerating recovery from activity and injury. Many marathon runners in training also feel that massage works to get rid of stored lactic acid from the muscles.

Runners in trainng for the London Marathon often suffer badly from DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness). Studies have shown that the effects of DOMS decreased by about 30% with deep tissue massage.

The key to getting a massage is not to wait until you are injured or you’ve just run a hard race, like a marathon. Massage for runners works best when used as part of your regular training session. Here are ten great reasons why………..

Massage can:

• Break up scar tissue that may have built up in your muscles.
• Improve blood flow to your muscles.
• Loosen muscles that have contracted (shortened) with continued use.
• Allow more oxygen to move into your muscles.
• Improve the flow of lymphatic fluid, which aids in healing.
• Reduce the chance of injury, through proper stretching, race preparation and through deep tissue massage.
• Improve range of motion and muscle flexibility, resulting in improved power and performance.
• Shorten recovery time between workouts.
• Maximize the supply of nutrients and oxygen through increased blood flow.
• Enhance elimination of lactic-acid build up (a by-product of exercise).

Here is a testimonial from one of my happy clients!

“””I’m not quite sure how it happened but I seemed to have signed up for the London Marathon. I am certainly not a pro – athlete so am on quite a tough training regime. My poor muscles have been suffering badly from DOMS (Deleayed Onset Muscle Soreness) and I was wondering if a deep tissue massage would help for my marathon training. A friend of mine reccommended Dave Taylor in Sutton. I live in East London but decided to make the journey to Sutton. I am glad I did.

I was in quite a bit of pain and was nervous about the massage but Dave put me at ease from the instant I walked through the door of his (rather posh) clinic. The massage itself was intense and unlike any sports massage I have had before. It felt like Dave worked on every muscle from the top of my head down to my big toe! At times the massage was a bit sore, however, I felt in control of any pain and allowed the deep pressure to happen. I had full confidence in Dave throughout and it felt like he knew just how far to push it. What also impressed me was that he also managed to fit in some excellent leg stretches too. I was advised to take it easy for 24 hours after the massage and that night I slept like a baby! Dave warned I might be a little tender in places the next day and I was, but it was fine. It eased of quickly and I didn’t mind at all as I felt so much looser as a result of the massage. The true reward was on my next marathon training session. Everything just worked better and the DOMS was so much easier to live with. So thanks Dave and I can’t wait till my next session. If there are any runners in training for the marathon and is considering the help of therapeutic massage, my advice would be wherever you are, make the journey and see Dave.””””

– Nick Stevens – January 2011