Fitness Swellness: The benefits of massage therapy for runners

After two of my races this spring, I went for a massage the day after my race, most recently at the Elmwood Spa after the running the Nike Women’s Toronto 15k. I hadn’t been this spa in years and there’ve been some beautiful updates (like the women’s change room, where I spent some time in the pretty blue tiled jacuzzi as I sipped one of the spa’s delicious smoothies).

While there, I also took the opportunity to chat with an RMT at the Elmwood Spa, Margaret Keats, about how runners should incorporate massage therapy into their race regimen.

Is it OK to get a massage right after a race?

Keats recommends focusing on hydration and ensuring you’re replenishing your antioxidants and electrolytes and waiting until the day after the race to get a massage. “Your body may ‘resist” the treatment by muscle guarding and you may not get the desired result,” she explains.

How about the jacuzzi at the spa, should I use the jets to soothe my tired, sore muscles?

A hot tub right after a race may be too hot, she says. “Heat aggravates inflammation, and the extra sweating can cause dehydration and actually make you feel more sore.” Instead, she suggests an Epsom salt bath at a warm to tepid temperature so that you don’t aggravate inflammation, followed by a quick cool shower. And be sure, of course, to hydrate well after your race.

How much pressure is too much pressure for your massage therapy?

“Cues that the treatment pressure is too much: holding your breath and muscle holding–subconsciously holding or guarding the area–are signs to look for. If you can comfortably breathe through it, and you don’t feel pain, then it’s all good,” says Keats.

Is Swedish massage, commonly offered at spas, beneficial for post-run recovery?

“Swedish massage encompasses a wide range of techniques for different needs,” she explains. “Light to moderate pressure using circulatory strokes encourages circulation and waste removal, while moderate to deep pressure techniques incorporating stretches helps to restore muscle length and flexibility.”

(Photos of Elmwood Spa exterior and change room courtesy of Elmwood Spa/Richard Picton)

Leave a Comment July 8, 2015

Fitness Swellness: Epsom salt baths

Taking an Epsom salt bath is one of those things I know I should do after a long run, but don’t. I have had a bag or two in my bathroom cupboard for ages, and yet I just never am motivated to — I just don’t take baths, and then the times I’d like to try the Epsom salt bath, well, it usually would call for a major bathroom cleaning first, and so it just doesn’t happen then.

But I may be converted after visiting Body Blitz the day after running Around the Bay. One of the pools in the circuit is an Epsom salt bath and I felt better on Tuesday (and could it have helped my iffy ankle feel better, too?).

What are Epsom salts and how do they help with muscles soreness? Epsom salt is magnesium sulphite and this mineral can be absorbed through the skin, and it can help relieve muscle soreness as it helps to flush lactic acid from your muscles, explains Carene Coulter, the spa director at Body Blitz. She adds that the warm water you bathe in also helps tight muscles to relax. While you can use an Epsom salt bath at any time to help relieve or prevent muscle soreness, she recommends them before going to bed the day of your workout.

Other benefits of Epsom salts? You can mix a pinch of salts with your everyday cleanser to gently exfoliate your skin for glowing skin. Ache-y feet? A foot bath with Epsom salts will soothe them, and the anti-inflammatory properties will help reduce swelling.

And I might need to start traveling with some Epsom salts in my carry-on: traveling can take its toll on the body (dehydration, exhaustion, and jet lag) and these salts have a sedative effect, so you can relax your body and get the restful sleep you need when away from home.

To do an Epsom salt bath at home, Coulter suggests drawing a warm bath and adding two cups of Epsom salts and allowing them to dissolve. Soak for 15 to 20 minutes. “Then take a nice, cool shower to remove any salt residue, close the pores and stimulate circulation.”

2 Comments April 10, 2014