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?