Chances are, if you’re reading this article, you’ve experienced the well-earned soreness that’s associated with an intense workout — your body is tired, your muscles are often stiff and aching. When you undergo massage therapy after these types of workouts, your body tends to recover faster and you’ll find that you have more energy.

Typically, receiving massage for athletic recovery would consist of a combination of sports massage and deep tissue techniques that may focus on stretching, specific work on areas of discomfort and circulatory enhancement to facilitate the healing process.  Different topicals or oils with healing essential oils can bring about an overall sense of wellness when added to the massage.

We spoke with Regional Director of the nonprofit Let Me Run and running coach, Mary Connolly, who recommends including massage as a key aspect of a marathon training program.

“Anyone who is training for the marathon should go to a massage therapist. When you’re budgeting for your shoes and other gear, save room in the budget for a massage.”

Elite runners or those who require more recovery can consider seeing a massage therapist weekly.

“For someone who is in training and post-training, once a week would be incredible. I recommended to all of my clients that they budget for a massage once a month. It’s so important – we always sing the praises of foam rolling and self-massage, but getting a licensed massage therapist, who can work the muscles in the right way, is ideal.”

 Connolly emphasizes that it is important to get the correct type of massage. 

“Deep tissue is really important if you feel tight. A massage therapist who can really work the Facia is key for running success. It’s important to work through the little things before they become problematic.”

Here are five incredible ways massage will aid in your recovery process after training or an event.

Decreased Inflammation 

Some of your body tissue is damaged during training, causing inflammation and, oftentimes, discomfort. Prolonged inflammation may affect your body negatively by causing muscle stiffness or other serious problems, making recovery difficult and painful. Setting some time aside for a post-workout massage will help you recover and keeps inflammation under control.

Reduced Injuries 

Marathoners and athletes are prone to injuries, and in most cases, those injuries occur during training sessions. The main cause of these injuries can be disguised as inflexibility or over-use. Massage therapy after a difficult training session can assist in improving your muscle flexibility and help avoid injury. Mary Connolly highly recommends deep tissue and sports massage, especially for marathoners, “The deep tissue massage really makes you feel better, and approach your workouts more easily. Alternatively, the thing I’ve noticed with sports massages are that the effects last longer.”

Boost Energy Level 

Two of the main reasons you want to get a massage is to help with recovery and your overall flexibility and health. Massage improves blood circulation within your body thus providing sufficient oxygen and nutrients to different areas. This process will stimulate Mitochondria, which helps to produce more energy. In short, massage enhances the flow of oxygen within your muscles, increasing your energy levels and overall health. 

 Improved Flow of Blood 

Post-training massage has a lot of benefits when it comes to improving blood flow. Your muscles are in need of nutrients and oxygen — this is where massage can really help. In addition to speeding up your recovery, massage reduces the chances of having minor body aches such as headaches or muscle pain, enhances your immune system, increases blood flow, and helps your overall productivity. 

Reduced Stress and Anxiety 

Stress and Anxiety can rear their ughly heads when you’re training or taking part in a sporting event, which can affect your performance. Scheduling a massage can help reduce these side effects of an intensive training program or post-event jitters, and help you focus on what’s important — training smart and feeling great. 

If you’re gearing up for your next event, or just finished and are in Knead of a therapeutic massage, book an appointment with us today.