Sun Run training: The benefits of athletic massage - Peace River Record Gazette

[massage]

The very best way to cross the finish line at the Sun Run is injury-free and with a smile on your face.

This week's Coaching Advice for the upcoming Vancouver Sun Run.


Training for the Sun Run can be a life-changing process. To ensure success, surround yourself with a team of advisers and supporters. Massage therapists should be part of your sports medicine team. Massage therapy can significantly improve your running potential by reducing muscle fatigue and pain, increasing circulation and blood flow, improving flexibility and relaxation.

There is some solid research that demonstrates how massage can help prevent injuries and aid post-run recovery. The fundamental theory behind massage therapy is the manipulation of different layers of muscle and connective tissue. There are two main effects, the first is to improve muscle function, and second, assisting with muscle recovery and rehabilitation.

Numerous studies show that while massage therapy does very little to increase muscle strength in healthy runners or alleviate the loss of strength and function when a muscle is injured, a massage is very beneficial in helping an injured muscle recover from running injuries or from the stresses of overtraining. A massage cannot help a muscle produce more force and thereby improve your performance. What will, is training, when done regularly and combined with rest and recovery.

To both enjoy and perform at your best, seek out a registered massage therapist with a high level of credentials and experience. As little as a 30-minute massage once a week will help you achieve your training goals and prevent injury. When injured, massage can play a vital role in alleviating muscle soreness, reducing chemical by-products, and bringing down swelling.

If professional massage therapy is not an option, self-treatment can be a useful supplement. Foam rollers and massage sticks can provide regular, routine care when not able to be treated by a professional.

The very best way to cross the finish line at the Sun Run is injury-free and with a smile on your face.

John Stanton is the founder of The Running Room.