If you have unused money in your Health Savings Account why not schedule a SPORTZbizz massage before the end of the year?

2011 is coming to an end.  For many of us, it’s a time to celebrate the close of another year of giving our all to a sport that we love.  As we celebrate, we should make sure to remember the sacrifices and gains that we have made throughout the months.  We also should keep in mind that often, we aren’t doing it alone.  Take a moment to think of your entire support team–the friends who have served as cheerleaders and shoulders to cry on, the family members who have put up with sweaty workout laundry and the crazy hours of training, and of course, yourself and your own inner strength.

Up through December 23rd you can purchase discounts on a wonderful way to say “thank you:” Gift Certificates for massages from SPORTZbizz.  What a great way to show how much you care for your support team and loved ones!

SPORTZbizz clients can now purchase massages sessions online and save money with volume discounts!  PURCHASE ONLINE

Over the past 10 years working as a Massage Therapist (MT) and working with mostly athletes, there are a few issues that I want to discuss in a few articles.  These are not backed up by science nor blind studies but more of an assessment and observation on my part.

So here’s the first question: Which body part do I work on the most?

This does depend on the sport and also I also see differences between men and women.  Road bikers and swimmers tend to have some of the same upper torso issues with tight Rhomboids,  Erectors, Levator Scapulae, etc…  Very few swimmers have lower torso issues but every once in a while a biker comes in with a calf issue which seems to be caused by bike shoe placement, saddle height, and yes overuse.  Running tends to be more mid-body for the most part and the reason is fairly the same for most of us.  I read that 80% of us tend to have short leg which I always said 75% so it does stand to reason that something is going on with one side of our body.  I see that most of us always get our injuries on one side or the other and I don’t think it has anything to do if you are left or right handed.  For runners, I look at shoe wear patterns I can quickly see how the body is working when placed under force.

In my assessment, females tend to have more problems with Glute/Piriformis/Sciatica  while males tend to have either tight hamstrings or calf problems.   My only conclusion is that with the width of the hips for women is just not as strong and with all the ‘pounding pavement’ for marathoners so it’s the weak area for women.  My observation is that when I spend time loosening up the Quadratus Lumborum (QL)   and Iliopsoas along with trigger point therapy in the Glute Medius/Minimus along with piriformis (along with the other deep 6 muscles) things begin to eventually relax.

Another observation is that it also depends how long the person has the issue.  I see athletes come in that have been fighting glute issues for 3-6-9 months and think that one massage will fix the problem.  99% of the time it doesn’t but over time it can drastically help and with reducing mileage or intensity training can go on.  Sometimes it’s best to get off the road for a short period and get in the pool or on a machine to relax the area of concern.

Massage and the correct stretches can definitely help!   If  I don’t see improvements within 3-4 sessions then I begin to start opening conversation up to other options.  The traditional sports physician route is one of the best actually and what I highly recommend if I can’t resolve the issue.    There are many great doctors around so find one that understands that you are an runner and will probably not stop running for an extended period of time.  A good Physical Therapist is worth their weight in gold and will provide the necessary exercises or stretches for you to resume training.  You will probably start off with a very reduced running/walking schedule but it will get you back on the roads safely.  One of the main reasons why athletes do not get better is that they do the necessary things to get by and once they start getting better they stop doing the exercises at about the 3-4 week period.  It eventually comes back and we can’t understand why it’s happening again.

One of my ‘pet peeves’ right now is that there are so many options about who to go to that it’s just overwhelming.  Some are good but I would just stay away from someone that keeps telling you after 12-13-14-15 sessions that we are ‘almost there’ and I know you will get better soon and you are still injured.  You feel good when you leave the office and maybe a day or two later but eventually it comes back.   I know several people that have spent over $1,500 on a certain therapy and they finally came to me and had their main issues resolved in 3 sessions ($105).   It doesn’t happen that way all the time but my advice is that if you are not getting better in 3-4-5 sessions Iwould start asking questions.  Sure your friend got help but that doesn’t mean you will.  Beware!

Also:  All Massage therapist are not created equal!  There are many massage therapist in the world doing good things and that seems to be what we love to do since we are part of the service sector. Some are great at relaxation and spa massage while others are great at energy healing work and there are many many types of massage right now.  Find someone that has the knowledge to get you through the good times in training as well as the bad times. They know when you need deep tissue, stretching, relaxation, and yes maybe even talk therapy.   Use your MT as the sounding board for everything else.  They should know your body/mind more than anyone else and should be considered part of your support team.

Can massage fix everything or everyone?  NO -  If your MT thinks they can – quickly  find another Massage Therapist!

Next articles:

How does Massage Therapy really help an athlete?

What can I do to work on my issues without going to a professional all the time?

Many of my athlete clients use my services for injury rehab, getting ready for a single event, or scheduling several massages over a training cycle which is great.   This article, by Kristyn Kusek Lewis of  Health.com, helps us understand why it is so important to use regular massage as a basis for controlling pain, reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol while boosting the feel-good hormones serotonin and dopamine.  Those changes slow your heart rate, reduce blood pressure, and block your nervous system’s pain receptors.     More…

I have personally used regular massage for over 25 years and when I receive regular massages I just personally feel better physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Hey Everyone,   First of all THANK YOU very much for being part of the Spring Race Prediction Contest!  The winners are:

120 Minutes -  Melissa Huebner   -    3 seconds

90 Minutes – Wendi Robinson – 4 seconds

60 Minutes – Cyndi  Lindeman – 16 seconds – and won with a tie break number of 217 – the actual number was 17

45 Minutes – Krista Pratt – 16 seconds  – tie breaker number of 279

30 Minutes – Gina Naas – 19 seconds

25% off next massage – Glenn Hines

25% off next massage – Mike Smith – Smitty

25% off next massage – Maria Broaddus

25% off next massage – Michael Hoyt

25% off next massage – Travis Rassat

A few other items:

The average time between the predicted and actual is:  4:52

30.65% of the entries set PR’s!  CONGRATULATIONS….

I had to laugh a few weeks ago when a client athlete came in for a 30 minute rehab session and had a hamstring/hip issue.  It was her third session and said something about going to a spa for a 60 minute massage (gift certificate from her husband) and complained that it just wasn’t what she was looking for.   It was relaxing and when she ask for more pressure the therapist kept using the same pressure as before.

As she talked about it I said something like I do 60 and 90 minute therapeutic massages on clients.  She got this look on her face and was surprised that I did regular therapeutic massage.  So with that in mind:

I do 60 and 90 minute Therapeutic massages and I also do Gift Certificates!

I think the number one question from the start (and me included) is how much does a massage cost and how can I actually justify the expense.   Not all massages or massage therapist are created equal and just like all professions there are good ones and the rest of the pack.   In my opinion if you are not going to a therapist that knows what you are dealing with physically and emotionally with your sport of choice then you are losing out on some important pieces of the puzzle.

I saw an article about the cost of a massage that I wanted to share from ‘how to be fit’ which is not bad.  I would add more information but here goes:

Are they massages expensive?

“Sounds like a great idea, but aren’t massages expensive?” you ask. Well, relatively speaking maybe yes, but when you break it down and compare it to what else you may spend when it comes to running, you may re-consider. Think about these points:

1. At an average cost of $75.00 an hour (depending on where you live), a massage costs about the same as a good pair of running shoes.

2. A winter’s worth of running clothing (tights, gloves, Gore-Tex jacket and a couple of turtlenecks) will cost three or more times the price of one massage.

3. The price of one massage costs less than the entry fee to most major marathons (plus the pasta dinner the night before).

When you consider the benefits of massage, the cost is well worth it. You can have the best shoes money can buy, but if your hamstring is so tight that you’re hobbling when you run, you might as well be running in flip-flops! And race directors don’t refund entry fees, even if you’re too injured to race.

I came across this article a few days ago and since several of my client athletes experienced this during training for a marathon I thought it would be good to share.

Question: Why Am I Gaining Weight During Marathon Training?

I thought I would lose weight when training for a marathon, but I actually have gained weight! Why is that?

Answer: You’re not alone. Some marathoners-in-training hope to lose weight during their training, but they’re surprised when they actually gain a few pounds or hit a weight loss plateau. One explanation is that as you’re training, you’re building more muscle mass, which is denser than fat. So while that may translate to an overall weight gain, your body fat percentage has decreased and you’re more toned than you were before.

More…..

I welcome all comments.

With 17 days before the Indianapolis Mini-Marathon,  the last 3 weeks are probably the most important weeks in understanding how your training has gone, how your body and mind has held up, and especially how to figure out a realistic and even an aggressive goal.

So how do we set a realistic or aggressive goal? After all the hard training is done I like to review the Equivalent Effort Chart to understand just what I can realistically do.  If I had a great training cycle then I may be a bit more aggressive or if I struggled through a training cycle I can still establish a goal that I would be happy with.

The training has taken a toll on my body and mind! Of course if your training went great then YES you will be tired physical and mentally and you should feel beat up.  I have personally used Massage Therapy for over 25 years and it was just something that I budgeted for and just knew that over the last few weeks of hard training that 2-3 great massages would bring me around mentally and physically.  If you can’t afford a good Massage Therapist one of the best things to do are Ice Baths.  Another that seems to help physically and also mentally is a hot/warm bath with Epsom Salt.   Foam rollers should be one of your best friends!

Massage also provides a mental release that no other modality does.  Massage reduces blood pressure,  boosts the immune system, dampens harmful stress hormones (cortisol), and even raises mood elevating brain chemicals such as serotonin.  Some drug company needs to think about bottling it!

Don’t do anything new! I recently read a study or runner’s (1400 runners divided into 2 groups) that said that about 16% got injured over a 12 week training cycle no matter if they stretched or didn’t stretch before running.  The higher percentage of injuries actually came from runner’s that introduced stretching during their program so if you aren’t into heavy stretching don’t start now!  If you have never lifted weights, pilates, yoga, stretching, wind sprints, 400′s then wait until your race.  The same goes for Massage Therapy!  If you have never had a massage and interested find a Therapist that knows something about Sports and is will work with you about timing.  Getting your first massage 2-3 days before your race by a well intentioned Massage Therapist can lead to a really poor performance.

I knew a Hammer Thrower that went to the USA Track and Field Championships and got talked into receiving a Full Chiropractic adjustment the day before preliminaries and it threw his body so far off that he didn’t even get through the first round.  He was almost assured of making the USA World team.