Running in Newbury: How Sports Massage Can Help Keep You Running Strong
Whether you’re training for your first 5K, chasing a new parkrun PB, building up your weekend mileage or preparing for a marathon, running places repeated demands on your muscles and joints.
And with plenty of great places to run around Newbury and West Berkshire, from road routes and canal paths to local trails, it’s easy to keep adding the miles while ignoring those little aches and areas of tightness that start appearing along the way.
That’s where regular sports massage can be useful.
Common Problem Areas for Runners
Running is repetitive. The same muscles are working thousands of times during every run, which means certain areas can become particularly tight, tired or overloaded.
Some of the areas we commonly find runners need help with include:
Calves and lower legs
Hamstrings
Quadriceps
Glutes
Hip flexors
IT band and surrounding muscles
Feet and plantar fascia
Muscles around the ankle and Achilles
Sometimes there’s an obvious problem. Other times you simply notice that one leg feels tighter than the other, your stride doesn’t feel quite as comfortable, or your legs are taking longer to recover between runs.
You Don't Have to Wait Until You're Injured
One of the biggest misconceptions about sports massage is that you only book when something hurts.
In reality, many runners use sports massage as part of their regular training and recovery.
A session gives us an opportunity to identify particularly tight or overworked areas and concentrate treatment where you need it most.
Depending on what we find, your session can include traditional sports massage techniques alongside other approaches available at Berkshire Fitness & Wellbeing, including IASTM and Dry Cupping.
Sports Massage During Running Training
The right time for a sports massage depends on your training schedule and what you want from the session.
During heavier training periods, massage can be used to help manage muscular tightness and keep your legs feeling mobile between sessions.
If you have an important race approaching, however, it's worth thinking about timing. A deeper treatment immediately before a race isn't always the best option, particularly if you're not accustomed to sports massage.
Likewise, after a hard race or long-distance event, treatment can be adapted depending on how your body feels rather than simply attacking sore muscles as hard as possible.
Sports Massage for Newbury Runners
At Berkshire Fitness & Wellbeing in Newbury, our sessions aren't based around following exactly the same routine for everyone.
We'll talk about your running, training and any areas that have been bothering you before tailoring the session accordingly.
Whether you're a recreational runner, regular parkrunner, trail runner or training towards a longer-distance event, the aim is simple: help you look after your body so you can continue doing the running you enjoy.
Sports Massage appointments are available from £40 at our treatment rooms at Newbury Better Health & Fitness Centre, Park Way, Newbury.
We also offer IASTM, Dry Cupping and Combination Therapy where appropriate.
If your legs are starting to feel the effects of the miles, book a session and give them some attention before that little niggle becomes the reason you have to stop running.
Comments