Sports massages after events

[Celtic Dragon]

Hi All, just been talking to my physio as a follow up from my treatment (got the all good so I'm happy), and picked her brains about sports massages after events.

If you had the option of 1 after a sportive would you take it, if you knew you were going to push yourself? I've go the option of 1 after the Tour of Cambs, and I'm tempted to take her up on the offer to make sure my knee behaves.

Whats your views?

[ewenm]

I find they are useful to aid recovery if doing multi-day events. When just doing a single-day event, I find time in the beer tent is better than time in the massage tent I guess if you've got a long drive home afterwards it might help avoid too much stiffening up in the car.

[SixPotBelly]

I was recommended them by my bike fitter (formerly a physio) when he diagnosed a "very tight" right hip.

I had one for the first time after the 100 mile Wiggle Spring Saddle sportive two or three weeks ago. Felt much better after that than I did after my previous sportive, which was only 100km, a month before. Not just the hip, but the legs generally.

I'd give it a go once, at least and, see how you get on.

[Matt_N]

Some sportives have physio tables set up, the last one I did a few summers ago did anyway.

You queued up for a ticket and then waited to be called, was quite nice.

[SixPotBelly]

^ It was one of those event massages I had at the Wiggle. A tenner for 15 minutes.

[whatleytom]

I've had them after doing Ironman triathlons a few times, and no doubt it does help. If it's free I'd crack on and have it. Paying for it after a sportive seems a bit much though, unless you are literally having to peel yourself off the bike afterwards.

Probably going to get more benefit by having a stretch and using some of what you would pay for massage on quality nutrition promptly after finishing.

[Roger Irrelevant]

ewenm said:

I find they are useful to aid recovery if doing multi-day events. When just doing a single-day event, I find time in the beer tent is better than time in the massage tent

Very much this - I did the Fred Whitton on Sunday and although there were massages available afterwards my only thoughts as I crossed the finish line were 1. How to get as many calories down me in as short a time as possible (I was dying on my arse the last ten miles), and 2. Where's the bar? I got back on my bike today to go to work and felt surprisingly good, so unless I had to be on tip top cycling/running form the very next day I wouldn't bother with a massage.

[Gruffy]

I swear by massage/physio. If you ring yourself dry on the event and/or plan to get back to intense training quickly after the big day then a post-ride massage is unbeatable. Get your recovery shake down you first but if you have the option to get a massage post-ride I think you'd be mad to miss out.

Whenever I've done sportives I'm amazed at how popular the massage isn't. If it's not busy then you'll usually see me having a double session.

I like to think I know my body well but a good physio or masseuse can spot muscle imbalances creeping in long before I would too. I really can't recommend massage highly enough.

[graeme4130]

a quick 15min massage at the end of a race or sportive is a great way to get all the lactic acid from your legs and help the bloody flow back into the muscles
Well worth it in my opinion if the option's there

[ewenm]

Gruffy said:

I swear by massage/physio. If you ring yourself dry on the event and/or plan to get back to intense training quickly after the big day then a post-ride massage is unbeatable. Get your recovery shake down you first but if you have the option to get a massage post-ride I think you'd be mad to miss out.

Whenever I've done sportives I'm amazed at how popular the massage isn't. If it's not busy then you'll usually see me having a double session.

I like to think I know my body well but a good physio or masseuse can spot muscle imbalances creeping in long before I would too. I really can't recommend massage highly enough.

I agree that regular massage is important. I've had some good sports massages and some not so good. I now try to have one every 2-3 weeks with my trusted physio for general maintenance purposes. I tend not to bother with post-race massages though - I find a decent warm-down is enough and then Claire can work out the knots over 45 minutes sometime in the next week.

[pembo]

I know it's slightly off topic but I thought it was worth putting a quick note here rather than starting a new thread.

Can anyone recommend somewhere for a sports massage in Newcastle? I will be 3 days and 300 miles in when I get there in July and looking at 80 miles and 6500ft of climbing the next day so I'm thinking it's a good idea.