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Nervous About Massage

Sunday, 19 May 2013

Nervous to book massage treatment? - your questions answered!

Having been a professional massage therapist for many years I sometimes see people who become self conscious before, and at the beginning of the massage session - this is very often when clients are new to massage or myself as a therapist. In this weeks blog I look at some of the embarrassing questions that you may have and hopefully I will be able to provide some reassuring answers. The massage therapy sessions I provide are completely professional and tailored to your needs accordingly.

Barefoot running

Thursday, 18 April 2013

With the Brighton Marathon last weekend and the Virgin London Marathon this weekend, and not forgetting the terrible tragedy of the Boston Marathon as well - this certainly is the season for running. Some of the athletes competing in events all around the world are racing barefoot, also known as natural running. This is the act of running without footwear and is fast becoming popular - but it seems to divide opinions greatly. Scientific research has yet to reach a conclusion regarding the risks and benefits of the practice. There are many prominent athletes who have competed barefoot, for example, you may remember Olympic runner Zola Budd who competed in Los Angeles in 1984, and was successful in many races with her style of training and racing barefoot. There is no doubt that running with shoes protects the feet from cuts and bruises from the ground but barefoot runners argue that less repetitive strain and chronic injuries occur when running without trainers.

Post Marathon - how massage is integral to recovery

Monday, 8 April 2013

The Virgin London Marathon is nearly upon us, athletes will be planning their training and race tactics thoroughly and with care. However, it is just as important to plan your post marathon recovery to ensure that injury is dealt with or avoided, and your body heals itself as efficiently and quickly as possible. It may seem very tempting to do very little after running the 26.2 miles, the ultimate test to the body, but evidence shows that reverse tapering is probably the best training for recovering from such an enduring race - ie a mirror of the training that you did preceding the marathon day. Some people say it takes two to three weeks to recover from a marathon, or one day per mile ran. We know that nutrition, exercising carefully and massage all play an important part in helping the body repair itself and getting ready to train for the next event or fitness goal!

Preparing for the London Marathon?
Don’t forget a massage!

Monday, 25 March 2013

The Virgin London Marathon is only a few weeks away, on Sunday 21st April 2013, and whether you are an experienced athlete or you are running this great race for the first time - there is no doubt that you will be in full preparation for this arduous event. It is likely in the months and weeks leading up to the big day, competitors from all over the country (and world) will have been following both a strict training fitness programme and altered their diet accordingly. In these last few weeks left before the race, it is advisable to ‘taper’ your training in full preparation for a healthy peak performance on the day. Tapering means slowing down your training in intensity and distance to allow the body and mind to rest; this has huge beneficial effects by reducing the risk of injury and allowing the muscles to store important carbohydrates for the marathon day.

Plantar fasciitis - a pain under the heel

Monday, 11 March 2013

Plantar fasciitis is a painful condition which is caused by inflammation of the thick tissue at the bottom of the foot, known as the plantar fascia. The plantar fascia connects the heel bone to the toes and supports the arch of the foot as well as acting as a shock absorber. Plantar fasciitis feels like a sharp, stabbing or a burning sensation at the back of the arch of the foot, or under the heel, especially after rest. Most people feel it keenly after a nights sleep and after a long period of inactivity, such as office work. After moving around for a few minutes the pain usually disappears but only to return after the next rest. Membranes (or fascia) surround every muscle fibre in the body and are even tougher and thicker at the bottom of the foot - when these get damaged or slightly torn the body tries to heal the area when you are off your feet. The pain is felt after periods of rest because returning to your feet can pull on the fascia and re-tear the damaged area. Your body gets used to this stress and so the pain disappears after a few minutes - but the damage to the bottom of the foot is still there!

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