Sports massage

cyclopsbiker

have you ever had sports massage? if so, do you have regular treatments or just occasional (maybe when training for something specific)? and reasons why?

Clever Pun

I had one on my legs once (gift from the missus) I hated it, it really sodding hurt

kelsen

One of the most painful thing I've ever done was to have my ITB massaged!

Fits into the scale of pain between 'standing on an upturned plug whilst going to the loo in the middle of the night' or 'stepping on a child's Lego brick whilst looking for the remote control'

benpinnick

I once did myself in snowboarding in Whistler and had a deep tissue massage from a girl called Kylie at a little indy spa. I was sooo painful at the time, but I was back out boarding 2 days later, which was pretty good given I could barely walk before.

SimonAH

Local physio worked on my neck and shoulder in February. I had to sleep on the sofa jammed up on one of the arms for nearly two months afterwards as I couldn't lie flat, not even long enough for an MRI to find out what they borked.

Be careful my friend!

notsoblue

I had one half way through LEJOG, was very relaxing. No knots though apparently, so it wasn't as painful as it could have been.

cyclopsbiker

physio's are different to sports massage therapists as they can manipulate hard structures, i.e. bones, where as SMT's only treat soft tissues.

@SimonAH - crikey, what had they done to you?

timpop

I've had sports massage several times. I go when I need it; tight muscles or pain. If I've an event coming up I like to be sure I'm limber and in good condition so sometimes a good massage really helps. It does hurt, especially if you've some stuborn muscles but is really worth it. You may need a few treatments before it's cleared up. Don't wait too long to go as the longer you leave it the worse it becomes. (and the more it hurts!)

Clever Pun

I've always been of the mindset it you have tight muscles.. stretch them.

as a result I don't get knots etc

asprilla

I have it every so often because I'm crap at remembering to stretch and I get a pretty tight ITB (even though I stretch it with a foam roller).

Also, paying a small asian lady to hurt me floats my boat.

PBo

apart from IT Boffin = what's an ITB?

asprilla

PBo wrote:

apart from IT Boffin = what's an ITB?

Iliotibial band. It connects your glute maximus to your knee (ish). Runs down the outside of your thigh.

cyclopsbiker

ITB is an Iliotibial Band. it connects onto your glut muscles and another small muscle at the front of your hip and is a thick band of connective tissue (like a ligament) that runs down the outside of your thigh, connecting onto your shin (tibia)

SimonAH

cyclopsbiker wrote:

physio's are different to sports massage therapists as they can manipulate hard structures, i.e. bones, where as SMT's only treat soft tissues.

@SimonAH - crikey, what had they done to you?

I get a screaming knot just to the left of my right shoulderblade, normally the good lady can pummel it out for me but this time it was so severe I had to go to the physio.

Unfortunately they managed to crush the suprascapular nerve in the process of getting the knot out which gave me absolutely howling phantom pain down the whole of my right arm for six weeks. I was eating cocodamol like candy and getting about an hour of sleep a night. Not good. Very not good.

mroli

One every day on a 9 day JOGLE. Hurt like hell every day after about day 5 as my legs started to knot up, but could walk out after and ride 100 miles plus in under 6 hours the next day again and again and again and again etc...

If you find someone good, I think it can really help.

vitesse169

I get a sports massage when I go on a training camp to Cyprus, from the local physio. About 12euros for 25mins on the legs - feel like new the next day. Also after my 1st triathlon I got one. Best thing since sliced bread. I'm so impressed I am taking a college course in massage therapy techniques - next year I want to move up to the sports massage course. Can't recommend it highly enough - find a good therapist and stick...

CXXC

i have 1 a month from the lovely ladies at the spa attached to my local gym. the legs feel unbelievably better for the days immediately following, plus the massages also work out any tension in my neck, shoulders and back from being on the bike 7 days a week

but ow ow ow ow the pain when massaging my calves.....t'is very sore

itboffin

PBo wrote:

apart from IT Boffin = what's an ITB?

Just pop down to your local sports physio and ask for an ITB massage, sweet b-jeez it hurts, like scream like a girl hurty.

I've had both legs done after two sportives and the next day I felt like I just had a couple of days off the bike.

MTFU and do et!!!

Edit: Oh and tearing the ITB well ... the less said about that the better :?