Sports Massage Explained
In brief: Sports massage is hands-on treatment of muscles and soft tissue, performed by a trained therapist, aimed at easing tightness, supporting recovery and keeping muscles feeling supple. Runners use it to work on areas that become tight from training, such as the calves, hamstrings and glutes, and to relax after hard blocks of running. It is a popular recovery aid, used alongside, not instead of, sensible training and rest.
What is sports massage?
Sports massage is a form of hands-on soft-tissue treatment carried out by a trained therapist, using techniques such as kneading, pressure and stroking to work on the muscles and the tissue around them. It is tailored to active people and athletes, focusing on the areas most loaded by their sport. For runners that usually means the lower body, including the calves, hamstrings, quads, glutes and the outer thigh.
How it works
The therapist applies pressure and movement to the muscle and surrounding tissue, which is intended to ease tension, improve the sensation of mobility and increase blood flow to the area, while also being relaxing. A skilled therapist can also identify particularly tight or sensitive areas and work on them specifically. As with other soft-tissue methods, much of the benefit is felt as muscles that feel looser and more comfortable afterwards.
Why runners use it
Training loads the same muscles repeatedly, and over time areas can become tight and sensitive. Runners use sports massage to work on these areas, to ease the feeling of stiffness after hard training blocks, and simply because it is relaxing and feels restorative. Many use it periodically rather than constantly, for example after a heavy block of training or in the lead-up to and aftermath of a goal race.
How to use it
Sports massage is best delivered by a qualified therapist who can adjust the pressure and techniques to your needs. It is generally better suited to recovery periods rather than immediately before a hard race, since a deep session can leave muscles feeling worked for a day or so. Communicate with the therapist about pressure and any sore areas, and treat genuine pain or a suspected injury as a reason to seek proper assessment rather than masking it.
Sports massage and your running kit at OD's
Hands-on recovery complements the running shoes and kit that carry you through training. At OD's Designer Clothing we stock premium running footwear and recovery-friendly clothing from brands such as On, Saucony and Salomon, with help in St Helens. We offer next-day delivery and free click and collect.