Massage for Runners

Dave K.

The massage research verdict is in at last! Unfortunately, the verdict is that it appears that there's no definitive research showing that massage either benefits or doesn't benefit runners.

That said, many runners (including me) feel that massage is helpful for recovery, injury prevention, and possibly even makes us speedier runners.

For those who feel likewise, here's some information and resources.

Why Massage?

According to Running Times magazine, massage may help to remove lactic acid and other by-products of running. Further, massage may result in decreased muscle tension and greater flexibility, translating into stronger, more injury-resilient muscles on race day. Massage also can break down scar tissue, and otherwise accelerate processes that would otherwise occur slowly in the body, if at all.

Flyer Janis E. views massage as a necessity, not a luxury, although she says her husband hasn't quite bought into the notion yet. Maybe she shouldn't come home with such a big smile on her face after her massage?

Deena Kastor

I've heard that elite marathoner Deenna Kastor likes getting massages so much that she married a massage therapist. Seriously, her husband treats her to daily massages, stretching her out on the massage table pre-run, and then massaging her post-run.


Active Release Technique (ART)

In addition to traditional "sports massage," there are variations such as ART, which is a patented and specialized manual therapy technique practiced by some sports chiropractors and massage therapists. It involves applying pressure around a tight area while moving the affected muscle through its range of motion, and when done by a sports chiropractor also involves advanced diagnosis and often running form analysis. For information on ART, visit www.activerelease.com.

Do it Solo

For those of us who don't have the budget to get massaged as frequently as we might like, we can self-massage. Our muscles. I use both The Stick and a foam roller.

Click here for a Runners World's article on Foam Rolling for Runners, and here for their series of videos.

Also, if you save back issues of Runner's World, there's an article in the January 2010 issue called Release 2.0 that highlights Facilitated Active Stretch Therapy (FAST). The article will walk (well, massage) you through self-massage Active Release Therapy techniques for shoulders, achilles tendon, hamstrings, IT Band, and calves.

Massage and ART Practitioners

NY Flyer and triathlete, Dr. Marc Bochner, a chiropractor who is licensed in Active Release Technique and has extensive experience using ART and other soft tissue techniques and has helped many Flyers in the past. When I was a fairly brand new runner, he helped me with a calf strain right before my first-ever Half Marathon, which I ran without any flare-up in my calf. He also has an trademarked injury prevention program called "Prepare to Compete", which involves self-treatment techniques and exercises.

Chiropractor Robert DeStafano, who's not a Flyer, is the originator of the FAST approach to self-massage discussed above and he has a practice in NYC.

My favorite haunt for getting fantastic massages is East Side Massage on E. 78th Street. All the therapists are top notch, and my favorite is Kristina. Kristina is a runner, with NYC 2010 her first ever marathon, and so in addition to her exceptional training and skills she has extraordinary insights and understanding of runners' bodies.

There also are Flyers who are licensed massage therapists, including Flyer Coach Joe Y., and Flyer Melanie A. (although she's no longer in the massage business).

Questions

• Are there any other Flyer practitioners out there? Please make yourselves known in the comments section of this Blog post -- we need you!

• Does anyone have additional information or resources to share with us on massage for runners? If yes, please post in your reply.

• Would any massage therapists-in-training like to practice on me for free (hey, it's important to hone your skills!)? Oh well, no harm in asking...

- Dave K.