I’m sitting here in a tent, in the middle of Somerset writing this post; the plan was initially to ride a day of the Tour of Wessex but then University deadlines looming took priority.
The whole event lasts 3 days and the riders are lucky enough to have a group of Sports Massage Therapists on site to help look after them. The most recent injury I’ve seen is a case of Bursitis…where the rider’s knee was filled with synovial fluid forming a visible lump.
This is usually caused by overuse which got me thinking (again) about how important rest and recovery is… and I mean real rest. Netflix and chill kind of rest.
Function360 recently shared an article all about the 4 best strategies runners can use for their recovery. And of course, sports massage for recovery made it on that list and it’s understandable why!
Since I’ve made Sports Massage and other therapies a regular(ish) part of my recovery I’ve experienced so much less back pain and a considerable reduction in tension generally.
The physiological benefits are plentiful however the psychological benefits may sometimes get overlooked. I went into Function360 last week for a massage with one of their newest Therapists Dana and honestly, my mind needed it as much as my body.
With the stress of coursework deadlines looming, trying to keep up with actual work, housework, plan for the camping trip I’m now on… well, it was almost getting too much!
Sports Massages release endorphins and also promote relaxation… the effect on me last week was evident from the way I arrived and walked in versus how I felt when I left.
It was 60 minutes to enjoy not having to think about all the things stressing me out, to enjoy some chit-chat (I think I chewed Dana’s ear off! lol) as well as to ease and soften some very tired and overused muscles; we focused on my middle back, shoulders and arms in this session.
And a Sports Massage doesn’t have to break the bank! They advise planning one into your training schedule every 4-8 weeks unless you have an injury for which a higher frequency of sessions may be more beneficial.
Elle
I wish this place would be near me but it’s far far from Manchester 🙁 so I cannot really enter this competition. But you are right, rest is definitely really important part of anybody’s training. I’ve been doing some really hard workouts from Beach Body on Demand lately and some days my muscles ache too much so I give them a rest. Sports massage would be quite cool so I will see whether I can find something affordable locally..