Self-Massage for Runners

Every runner has a different reason for needing a massage. Maybe yours is your feet or your calf muscles? Or maybe it’s your knees and hips that need attention? Perhaps your quads or hamstrings are too tight? One thing is certain though, if you run often, or you run hard, your legs and possibly your whole body needs frequent massage. But are you getting it regularly?

While sports massage therapy has grown rapidly during the last twenty years, it can’t meet the needs of millions of runners. Just as a professional chef isn’t available every time you get hungry, a professional massage therapist can’t be on-hand every time a muscle tightens-up. One solution may be self-massage. Don’t snicker; self-massage is an effective way to relieve muscle soreness, prevent injury, and just plain feel better. It’s also easy to learn and simple to do.

Most runners know sports massage can improve athletic performance. What they don’t know is how to apply the benefits of massage to themselves. That’s where my new book Self-Massage for Athletes comes in handy. It teaches the same basic massage strokes professionals use. While not everyone can attend the Boulder College of Massage Therapy, everyone can learn a few simple massage techniques to help themselves feel better fast.

Let’s Try It
There are only three strokes you need to know for now: gliding, squeezing, and drumming. Once you’ve learned them, and some simple variations, you can apply them anywhere between your head and toes, and voila, free massage. So roll up your sleeves, get your running shorts on, and keep reading. You won’t need massage oil, massage tools, or malpractice insurance; just a sense of touch and a willingness to use it.

Stroke #1: The Glide
We’re just going to massage the legs, or to be more accurate: You are going to massage your legs. Begin with, the stroke that most sports massage therapists begin with, the glide stroke. Professionals call it effleurage. But by any name, it’s a glide, slide, or skimming motion. Get seated, get comfortable and try it. Just glide your hand over your thigh for starters. Use this stroke to warm up your body before the more intense massage strokes to come.

As a general rule, when applying deep pressure, your hand should move in the direction of your heart to help blood flow back to your heart. Try ten gliding strokes up and down your right thigh. Use light pressure away from your heart and deeper pressure toward your heart.

OK, now that you’ve got the idea try gliding your hand over your entire leg, from your ankle to your seat. You can use both hands if you like. Try ten strokes varying intensity and velocity. By reaching for your toes, you should get a gentle stretch as well. When you’ve sufficiently warmed your first leg move onto your second leg, again covering its entire surface. This should feel good, if it doesn’t, fake it for now, it will get better with practice. Let’s move onto:

Stroke #2: The Squeeze
This is a compression stroke called squeezing because it compresses the muscles you’re squeezing. It should be pleasing; let’s see if it is. The purpose of the stroke is to warm your skin and muscles, and improve your circulation. Improved circulation brings fresh nutrients and oxygen to your cells and forcefully ejects the toxins that have accumulated during your run. This is powerful therapy for runners because it feeds and cleans the very muscle cells that took it in the shorts during your run.

Try squeezing your calf muscles. Start at the bottom of your calf and work your way up in the direction of your heart. While keeping your calf muscles relaxed, vary the intensity of your squeeze. Try varying the volume, i.e., the surface area that you squeeze. Perform a minimum of ten squeeze strokes. Then massage the calf muscles that live in your other leg.

Now try squeezing your entire leg, begin at your Achilles heel and move on up as far as you can go. Use two hands if you want. Go slowly; it’s not a race. Stop at your butt. Massage your other leg using this squeezing stroke. Just press and compress the muscles as you gradually squeeze up your leg until there is no more leg to squeeze. Then you can either do it all again or move onto:

Stroke #3: The Drum
This stroke is called drumming for reasons that will be clear in the next sentence. It’s a stimulating stroke in which you use your hands to actually drum your body. Think of your body as percussion instrument with a low pain threshold, so don’t drum too hard or loud. If the neighbors complain, it’s too loud. A soft easy tapping will do. You can use your fists, flat open hands, the sides of your hands, or really any part of your hand that feels good. Begin at your feet, and move toward the largest muscles in your body, the ones you’re sitting on. Try drumming your other leg. Get a good rhythm going, and when you’ve had enough, stop.

Just Getting Started
Congratulations on completing the beginning of a powerful new practice that will improve your running. Massage will get easier and more effective with repetition. So practice it regularly, directly after running. You’ll find that your muscles are less sore and you’ll recover more quickly between runs. With time, you’ll also notice that your health has improved; that’s because frequent massage strengthens the immune system. It also reduces stress, anxiety, and depression which will improve your mood. And if nothing else, your improved mood will make your running partners happier as they desperately try to keep up with you.

Most of all have fun with it. If it feels good, do it. Self-massage is not an exact science. It’s user friendly and doesn’t require the precision of stretching. Eighty percent of self-massage is just showing-up and practicing it regularly. If after every run, you massage your legs for ten minutes, your running will improve, your health will improve, and your mood will improve.

The Hip Butt Massage

Every active person needs the benefits that only massage can deliver to their glutes and hip flexors. Here’s how to get those benefits when you need them.


To get the best massage for your hips and glutes, you’ll need a couple of massage tools. For your hip flexors, those skeletal muscles that flex your hips, you'll need a Backnobber II. For your glutes a hard squash ball, super ball, or golf ball will come in handy. You'll also need a hard chair. If you have any questions about whether your hips and glutes should be massaged or any of the techniques described in this post consult your doctor, massage therapist, or medical practitioner.

Eight Steps to a Hip Glute Massage
Step 1
Glide your hands over your hips to warm them up.

Step 2: Hip Massage Using Your Hands


Stroke #1: Sitting akimbo, press your hands into your hips and roll your pelvis slowly in small circles. This should feel good.



Stroke #2: Place your thumbs on your front hip flexors (the place where your thigh meets your hips). Four fingers from each hand rest on your sides and extend towards the seat of the chair. Press & roll your thumbs into your hip flexors. If nothing else it will give your thumbs a pretty good workout. Relax your hips while pressing & rolling your thumbs. Move your thumbs around until you’ve explored the territory.



Stroke #3: Holding your hands at 90 degree angles to the sides of your hips press and press & roll your finger tips directly into the sides and backs of your hip flexors. Again explore the terrain.



Stroke #4: Press and press & roll the heels of your hands into your front hip flexors. Use your upper body weight to lean into it. Move your hips in small circles clockwise, then counter clockwise, and adjust your hands ever so slightly until you’ve got it covered.



Step 3: Hip Massage Using The Backnobber II
Stroke #1: Press and press & roll the Backnobber II into the muscle and fleshy areas on the sides of your hips. Begin at the back of your hips and gradually press & roll your way to the front. Lean your hip into the knob at the end of the massage tool while relaxing your hips. I don’t recommend massaging your hip bone with the massage tool. When you've finished massaging one side move onto the other.


Stroke #2: Front Hip Flexors
Hold the massage tool perpendicular to the floor. When massaging your right hip flexor rest the top knob on your right hip flexor. Place your left hand just above the knob and your right hand on the inside of the tool even with your right thigh and press down. Be careful you’re in delicate territory here. Go slowly and get comfortable with this stroke. Move your hands slightly to massage different spots. Or just rotate your hips in small circles. Be careful. Relax and breathe into it.


Stroke #3: Rest the bottom S curve on your front hip flexor. Then, sitting up straight, just press on the top of the upright S. Press, and press & roll the curved section at the bottom of the S into your hip flexors.

There are many more variations you can try with the Backnobber II. Find some that work for you.


Step 4: Booty Ball Massage
Place a small hard rubber ball* under your glutes and rotate your hips in small circles, clockwise and then counter clockwise. Periodically shift the position of the ball. Continue shifting the ball and circling your hips. You may find that different sized balls work better for different parts of your glutes, depending on the size of the padding in your chair and your seat. After massaging one side give your other seat a treat.

Step 5: More Booty Ball Massage
After moving the ball to your other side follow the same routine of rolling your hips and moving the ball ever so slightly until your glutes have been massaged. Stay relaxed and breathe deeply into your butt.

Step 6 Gliding
Repeat Step 2 by gliding your hands over your hips.

Step 7 Drumming
Drum, slap, or tap your hips and glutes with the heels of your hands or your fists. You’ll have to stand up to drum your glutes but it’s worth getting up for.

Step 8 Rock’n Roll
Get up and shake it, move your booty, your hips, dance!


Test: OK, now get up, walk around, and feel the difference a hip butt massage can make.

Suggested Time: 5 to 10 minutes (but take as long as you need)

Conclusion: Try variations on this routine every time your hips or butt feel a little tight.

Notes:
* I highly recommend a hard squash ball. Squash balls are made of rubber of two types: hard and soft. The hard ones make great massage tools, the soft ones do not. Squash balls are a little smaller than a golf ball. Any hard rubber ball about the size of a golf ball should work. A golf ball can also be used but is not as effective as a hard rubber ball.

For more information on hip flexors: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hip_flexors

For more information on the gluteus maximus muscle: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glutes

And for more than you ever wanted to know about the butt: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butt

And to watch the YouTube video The Hip Booty Massage: Do It While You View It

Self-Massage for Runners Calf Muscles

Every runner’s calves need massage once in a while, here’s how to get it done fast and effectively.

Eight Steps to Grateful Calves
Step 1: Choose the calf that most needs a massage.
Step 2: Glide your hands over that calf to warm it up, from your ankle to your knee.
Step 3: Squeeze your calf muscles with both hands moving from your ankle towards your knee. Look for tender areas and work them a little extra. One hand should be on top of your shin bone (tibia) and the other under your calf.
Step 4: Squeeze and roll the calf muscles with both hands, begin at your ankle and move gradually towards your knee.
Step 5: Press both fists into your calf muscles moving gradually from ankle to knee.
Step 6: Press while rolling your fists vigorously into your calf muscles especially the ones on either side of your shin. Keep the muscles relaxed while you massage them and breathe out deeply.
Step 7: Repeat Step 3 by squeezing your warmed relaxed calf muscles moving from your ankle gradually towards your knee. When you’ve had enough, start
Step 8: Drumming the entire area you just massaged using your open hands.
Test: OK, get up, walk around, and feel the difference between your lower legs. Then get your butt back down and do your other leg.
Suggested Time: 2.5 minutes per calf (but take as long as you need)

Extra: All you need for a good lower leg massage is a hand and a leg. To go deeper try a massage tool, like the one pictured called the Knobble II, that will do your calves good. Press it directly



into your calf muscles beginning near your ankle and moving up gradually towards your knee. Keep the muscles relaxed and press into every spot on your calf. To go deeper, try rolling the tool as you press into the soleus and gastrocs that make up your calf muscles.

Conclusion: Try variations on this routine every time your calves need a treat. Self-massage it’s not just for cheapskates anymore.

Watch the YouTube video of this massage Lower Leg Massage: Do It While You View It

For more on calf muscles: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soleus

Surgery and Running Injuries

photo by sean drellinger

I recently got an email from a running buddy I hadn’t seen or heard from in awhile. When I asked how her running was going, she told me “your mouth will drop when you read this but I just had knee surgery, for the sixth time in two years.”

The original diagnosis was a meniscal tear. She may run again, she may not, no one knows.

About five years ago, I had a swollen knee that I believed was due to a bad bike fit. The MD at the HMO who examined my knee hadn’t been practicing long. She referred me to a surgeon. The surgeon examined my knee, diagnosed a meniscal tear, and recommend surgery. I told him I wanted an MRI and a second opinion.

The MRI showed a possible but not definite meniscal tear. The second surgeon also recommended surgery to fix the meniscus. When I pointed out that none of his tests revealed symptoms of a meniscal tear, he said there were indications of meniscal tear. And “besides, he said, “the knee is swollen and once I scope that knee I’ll find something. Out of every 500 knees, maybe one doesn’t need some work.”

I deferred on the surgery and saw a physical therapist who recommended stretching and strengthening exercises which I did. My knee healed. When the problem recurred a couple of years later I discovered a yoga pose that fixed the problem once and for all.

I’m not sure what the moral of this story is or even if there is one. Maybe:

Doctors make mistakes.

or

In the end everyone is there own doctor.

or

Western medicine may result in an expensive way to resolve a simple problem.

Treating Running Injuries

I had a friend who was a physical therapist and liked to hang out with runners because they get injured so often.

When I was in law school a professor asked when does a problem become a legal issue? After many attempts to coax the answer from the class using the Socratic method, he finally had to suggest the answer. “A problem becomes a legal issue when a lawyer is asked to solve it. The same question brought to a psychiatrist is a psychiatric problem. If it’s asked of an architect it requires an architectural solution.

Think about that next time you have a running injury that needs medical treatment. If you consult a surgeon, they’ll recommend surgery. If a medical doctor who doesn’t practice surgery is selected, she’ll write a prescription for drugs. Take that same problem to a physical therapist and the solution is likely to be stretching and strengthening exercises. Take it to an acupuncturist and what do you think will be offered as treatment?

Next time a running injury requires medical treatment it might be wise to first take it to the least invasive practitioner who in your opinion has a reasonable chance of resolving the issue.

Foot Massage for Runners

Every runner needs a foot massage, here’s how to massage your feet and feel better fast.

Nine Steps to Happy Feet
Step 1: Choose the foot that most needs a massage.
Step 2: Glide your hands over that foot to warm it up, from your toes to your ankle.
Step 3: Squeeze your whole foot beginning with your toes and moving gradually towards and eventually up your ankle. Look for tender areas and work them a little extra.
Step 4: Squeeze, pull and twist each toe. Begin with the biggie and end with the pinkie.
Step 5: Press both thumbs into the bottom of your foot and press your remaining eight fingers into the tops of your foot. Begin near your toes and move towards your ankle.
Step 6: Repeat step 5, but this time roll your thumbs as you press into your foot.
Step 7: Press and roll your fingers into your ankle area.
Step 8: Repeat Step 3 and squeeze your foot beginning with your toes.
Step 9: Drum the tops and bottoms of your feet lightly with your fists.

Get up and walk around noting the difference between how your two feet feel. Then sit back down and do it all again with your other foot.

Suggested Time: 2.5 minutes per foot (but take as long as you need)

There are two types of runners those who have foot problems and those who will have foot problems. Foot massage will relieve problems that you have now and prevents new ones from forming.

Extra: All you need for a good foot massage is a hand and a foot. To go deeper try a massage tool. My favorite is the Backnobber II. While it’s not designed for the foot it’s still the most effective tool I’ve found for my feet. You just pull the little knob at the end into your foot with as much or as little intensity as you need. Move it from spot to spot until you’ve found all the spots that need work.


Backnobber II used for foot massage

Watch the YouTube video of this massage: Foot Massage: Do It While You View It

Self-Massage Techniques for Runners

If you run try these techniques to relieve muscle pain and soreness.

You can watch this video at the YouTube site under the title Massage for Runners: Do It While You View It.

Do All Runners Need a Massage?

photo by Brian Ream

Any runner who wants to improve their speed, endurance, and energy needs a daily massage as does any runner who wishes to reduce injuries, stress, and muscle soreness. But who needs it more:

1. A 30-year-old Kara Goucher training to compete in the 5K and 10K at the Olympics?
or
A 60-year-old Frank Shorter doing his daily run and workout?
Your Answer:______________

2. A 42-year-old man who runs three times a week and has a history of calf muscle pain and injuries?
or
A 22-year old distance runner who just signed a contract with Nike and whose feet look like salad dressing?
Your Answer:______________

3. A 14-year-old running cross country for the first time in high school and trying to figure out what her body can do?
or
A 72-year-old man who loves running but has been plagued with a series of overuse injuries lately?
Your Answer______________

4. A 32-year old chemical engineer whose quads are killing him when he wakes up the morning after an intense run?
or
A 27-year old attorney who just started a running program after years of inactivity and is feeling uneasy about running and pain in her shins?
Your Answer______________

5. A 22-year-old steeple chase collegiate all-American preparing for the Beijing Olympics? or A 32-year-old guy training for his first marathon and planning to run in under 3 hours? Your Answer______________

6. A former bike racer who at age 36 describes running a marathon as the toughest thing he’s ever done?
or
A 49-year-old woman who is going to a massage therapist twice a week but just lost her job and can’t afford to continue?
Your Answer______________

7. A 43-year-old ultra runner who has just been diagnosed with breast cancer?
or
A 35-year-old woman who loves running but misses six weeks per year due to illness?
Your Answer______________

8. A 52-year-old writer of books on running and games for the super intelligent who has a heart condition but thinks running makes him invulnerable?
or
A 29- year-old woman who is going though a stressful divorce?
Your Answer______________

9. You?
or
Your best running partner?
Your Answer______________

The answer: In all cases the person who needs a daily massage more is the one who’s not getting one. To find out why, click here.

Self-Massage is Obvious--But?

photo by doctormike

One of the big challenges I faced writing Self-Massage for Athletes is that a lot of stuff in the book seems fairly obvious. It’s obvious that massage is good for you. That by massaging sore muscles, improving circulation, and releasing trigger points, massage relieves muscle pain, speeds recovery, and prevents injuries. 

It’s obvious that self-massage is easy to learn and that you can apply many of the ideas from modern massage therapy to self-massage and produce an effective therapy at little cost. And because you can enjoy the benefits of massage every day you can probably produce a more powerful affect than seeing a professional massage therapist once a month or even once a week.  It’s clear that with every massage stroke you apply you get instant feedback: which muscles need work and which don’t, how deep to go, and how long to stay.  

It’s also obvious that athletes can learn a lot about their bodies from using self-massage. It’s obvious that by learning and practicing self-massage an athlete will be healthier, fitter, and faster than if he did not. Sure it’s obvious.

But precisely because it’s so obvious, it needs to be written about. Thought about.  Talked about. Because it’s so obvious, it’s easy to dismiss the benefits of self-massage and fall into the habit Americans have of ignoring their bodies until a problem explodes into injury or illness and needs professional care: MRI’s, drugs, surgeries. 

After all, if self-massage were so obvious, why don’t millions of athletes use it to complete a workout? Why don’t they use it to detect muscle weaknesses before they become injuries? Why don’t they use it instead of vitamin I to relieve muscle pain and soreness? Why do really smart people suddenly turn stupid when faced with applying simple massage strokes to their own bodies?  

Because to embrace self-massage you have to be willing to change the status quo. And many successful athletes, coaches, and doctors who are in positions of authority have climbed to the top by embracing the status quo, not by challenging it. 

It’s much easier to do nothing and hope you don’t get injured than to be proactive and try something new and elegant. To glide, press, squeeze, and drum your sore tired muscles back from pain requires effort. To get more in touch with your body and in so doing prevent injuries by catching small problems before they grow into large ones, requires effort. It’s much easier to rely on someone else to fix you when you break, to pop a pill, or employ the latest medical technology than to take matters into your own hands and minimize your chances of injury. 

Pros Do It

Yes, it would be nice to have a personal massage therapist the way high paid athletes do. We envy the superstars of professional sports who can make a call and someone comes over to work all the toxins out. But unless you’re Lance Armstrong, Kobe Bryan, Deena Kastor, Tiger Woods, Maria Sharapova, or Derek Jeter that’s not happening for you.

Your Future

Today, your physical world is probably different than it was ten years ago. And it may be very different ten years hence. As we age our bodies tend to deteriorate. In America, they tend to deteriorate quickly. The people who get physically stronger with age are those who pay attention to their health, who are proactive, and willing to take a hands on approach.

So, yes, the basic ideas upon which self-massage are based are obvious. But using them, challenging the status quo, putting them to work—that’s not obvious in any way.

Prevent Overuse Injuries

Here’s what most active people do:

They suffer overuse injuries.
60 to 70% of runners,
40 to 50% of swimmers,
80 to 90% of triathletes will suffer an overuse injury in the next year.

This is dumb because almost all overuse injuries can be prevented.

Overuse injuries, also known as repetitive motion injuries, result from using the same muscle group over-and-over-again causing repetitive micro trauma in muscle tissues to accumulate. If the repetitive motion continues day-after-day without allowing your muscles to sufficiently heal, the trauma grows bigger and bigger. And then one day the muscle doesn’t work or radiates pain. You’re injured.

Here’s why most active people suffer overuse injuries:

They ignore the many signs their bodies send them that their muscles are not being given the chance to heal between workouts. They ignore the signs that trouble is brewing in the bottoms of their feet, in their IT bands, in their knee joints, in their quads and hamstrings, in their elbows and in their rotator cuffs.

Almost all overuse injuries can be prevented if you detect them when they are small problems. Self-massage is an effective way to do just that. It forces you to focus on those areas of your body that need attention. In most cases, the attention you give them in the form of massage will resolve the problem while it is small before it becomes a full-fledged overuse injury in need of professional medical care and weeks or months away from training.

It is pretty easy, really.

Feel Good Running

When you feel good, running is easy. It’s a reward. The story we tell ourselves is that running is a pleasure. It’s just one foot in front of the other with an effortless floating in between. We get faster, stronger, healthier.

On bad days, we feel the weight of every step and can’t wait for it to be over. The stories we tell ourselves change. Now we run out of obligation, or fear. We fear the loss of health, habit, fitness. We promise ourselves rewards or threaten ourselves with punishments.

Of course, the two extremely different feelings take you on the very same run. It’s not the run as much as the way we feel about the run and resulting story we tell ourselves that changes.

Either our morning run felt like it was hardly happening or each step felt like it was happening with a vengeance.

The challenge for runners is how to change the way we feel so the story we tell ourselves about running will keep getting us out there. Fast run, slow run, effortless run, painful run . . .  it all adds up to how we feel. If you change the way you feel the story you tell yourself about your running changes. 

Self-massage is one way to change the way we feel about running and the story we tell ourselves.