Sports Massage for Runners

The benefits of sports massage include¹²³

• Improves Flexibility;

  It can improve your flexibility and range of motion, which can help you run more efficiently and avoid injuries. Running requires a lot of movement and coordination from your muscles and joints, especially in your lower body.

  If your muscles are tight or restricted, you may not be able to run with optimal form and technique, which can lead to poor performance and increased risk of injury.

  Sports massage can help you improve your flexibility and range of motion by stretching and lengthening your muscles, increasing your joint mobility and lubrication, and improving your muscle elasticity and pliability.

• Reduces Muscle soreness;

  It can reduce muscle soreness and stiffness, which can help you recover faster and feel more comfortable after a run. Running can cause micro-tears in your muscle fibers, which can lead to inflammation, swelling and pain. This is normal and part of the adaptation process, but it can also affect your recovery and comfort.

  Sports massage can help you reduce muscle soreness and stiffness by increasing blood circulation, removing waste products, reducing inflammation and swelling, and stimulating the release of endorphins, which are natural painkillers and mood enhancers.

• Preventing and treating common running injuries;

  It can prevent or treat common running issues, such as shin splints, plantar fasciitis, IT band syndrome and runner’s knee.

  Running can put a lot of stress on your bones, tendons and ligaments, especially in your lower legs and feet. This can result in overuse injuries or conditions that can affect your running performance and quality of life. Sports massage can help you prevent or treat common running issues by addressing the underlying causes, such as muscle imbalances, tightness or weakness, poor alignment or biomechanics, or inadequate footwear or training.

  Sports massage can also help you heal faster by reducing pain, inflammation and scar tissue formation, and enhancing tissue repair and regeneration.

• Improved immune system;

  It can enhance your immune system⁴, which can help you stay healthy and fight off infections and illnesses. Running can boost your immune system by increasing your white blood cell count⁴, improving your lymphatic drainage⁴, and enhancing your natural killer cell activity⁴.

  However, running can also suppress your immune system if you overtrain, under-recover, or expose yourself to extreme conditions or environments⁴. This can make you more susceptible to infections and illnesses⁴, such as colds, flu or respiratory infections⁴.

  Sports massage can help you enhance your immune system by stimulating the production of antibodies⁴ and cytokines⁴ , improving the function of your thymus gland and spleen, and reducing the levels of cortisol and adrenaline, which are stress hormones that can impair your immune response.

• Reduced Blood Pressure; It can lower your blood pressure and heart rate, which can help you relax and sleep better. Running can improve your cardiovascular health by strengthening your heart muscle, lowering your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and improving your blood flow and oxygen delivery.

  However, running can also elevate your blood pressure and heart rate if you run too hard, too fast or too long. This can increase your cardiovascular risk factors and affect your recovery
  and sleep quality.

  Sports massage can lower your blood pressure and heart rate by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for rest and digestion functions. This can help you relax mentally
  and physically, reduce stress and anxiety levels, and improve your sleep quality and quantity.