Yesterday morning Georgie, the clinic's massage therapist, went out and about providing massage support at the Brigg Triathlon. The triathlon had a good turn out. The event saw over 200 competitors take part, which consisted of a 400 metre pool swim in the Ancholme Leisure Centre’s 25 metre pool followed by a 20km road cycle and finishing with a 5km road run. Except for the wind, the weather was fantastic - the course was a flat, fast and ideal for both experienced triathletes and newcomers to the sport. Having Georgie’s smile and massage couch at the finish was a great relief to a lot of the competitors. Georgie worked her fingers to the bone helping the competitors relieve tight and sore muscles.

DOMS

It is highly likely you will have experienced the muscle soreness that sometimes follows a new or vigorous workout, which is called DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). Most people have a routine for managing this discomfort, whether it’s stretching or attending a yoga class, or just soaking in a hot bath. If you ignore it, yes, it will go away on its own — but who wants to suffer in waiting?

Studies have shown the massage immediately following exercise aids in the recovery, so having a massage straight after exercise means you don’t move like a 90-year old the day after.

For many years, it was commonly believed muscle soreness was from lactic acid build-up, but this has now been thoroughly debunked by science. The burn you feel while exercising is indeed lactic acid, however, your body flushes it out very quickly — within an hour of exercising. The myth that lactic acid causes muscle soreness stems from a century-old misinterpreted frog experiment. Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), or the muscle soreness you’ve experienced one to two days after exercise, is actually caused by inflammation stemming from microscopic tears in your muscle fibres, or more specifically, microtears between your muscles and their surrounding tissues.

Massage and Bigger Muscles

In a recent study, researchers put healthy men through a strenuous workout — the kind that’s almost too hard to finish. To see the effects of massage on muscles, they took muscle biopsies of both legs — before and after exercise, and after 10 minutes of massage. The massage was given right after the workout. The brief massage affected two specific genes in the muscle cells. The first gene decreases inflammation caused by exercise, similar to the relief you get from certain pain medications. The second gene turned up production of mitochondria in the muscles. These are the powerhouses of cells. They use oxygen and the broken down products of food to generate energy needed by the cells. As muscle cells become adapted to endurance exercise, the number of mitochondria increases. Massage seems to help this process along. Other studies have shown that treatments for sore muscles—such as ice baths and anti-inflammatory medications—can reduce inflammation. These tend to block muscle repair and growth. Massage, however, appears to not only make you feel better, but also speed up muscle recovery.

Don't want to move like a 90-year old after your PB?

Georgie is a triathletes herself competing in the long distance triathlons. This year she completed the Vitruvian half Ironman in 5 hours 39 mins – an incredible time. Her preparations this year are in readiness for next years full Ironman in Bolton. Georgie know exactly what demands an athlete’s body are going through and how massage can help you to get the best out of yourself. Call the clinic today on 01472 488082 for an appointment.