Is it mainy holistic – or does it actually have any benefits?.. (tongue planted firmly in cheek)

I’ve put a fair few miles in during the last few days and am planning more tonight – Last night I felt like I needed a really good masasge on my legs to ‘help drain the toxins’ and relax them somewhat.

a) will toxins actually be drained?
b) is that a good thing?
c) what are the main benefits and/or disadvantages of a massage. Other than having to pay?

Just genuinley interested is all.
Oh, and can anyone recommend a reasonably priced physio/masseur in the Surrey Hills area?

Hurts like hell, you’re feel crap the next day so don’t try one the Thursday or Friday before a race.

I found them much more crucial for performance when I was running than I do now when cycling.

had one last night – tired and achy today….. but will feel great tomorrow 🙂

Please explain the science behind what is actually going on though? What are the actual benefits?

I only ever once had a massage, neck and shoulders – and despite initially feeling great, as you say, the next day or three I felt like I had been scrummaging with a herd of Wildebeast.

I had one to help a neck problem which she pretty much cured in one session. Because it didn’t take long to break down the knot that was causing my neck to hurt she asked if I wanted my back and legs massaged with the remaining time. It hurt like hell but afterwards my legs felt super human. I could even touch my toes, something which I haven’t managed for years. She said I had very tight legs and should stretch more which I stupidly haven’t done. She also found a lot of other knots and scar tissue on my back and shoulders. One twinge on the front of my shoulder I had put up with for years was been caused by a knot, she got rid of this and I have had no trouble with it since.
The neck problem I had put up with for about 5 years. After the one massage it was almost completely solved.
I wish I had had it done sooner. One of the best £25 I have ever spent.
But as mentioned it knocks you about. I felt like I had been run over by a train the next day.

Andy

Have had a couple with the physio at the lbs. The poor thing puts her back into it but it feels like being attached by a Space Hopper. She always goes on about a ‘build up of tension’ and ‘try to relax’ but the harder she tries the more I resist.

Don’t know who enjoys it the least tbh 🙂

I have one on a monthly basis. The technique used is “direct myofascial release” (lots on this if you google). Seems to help. IMO you can do yourself a favour by cooling down properly after a big effort and having easy recovery rides (both will help with the build up of “toxins” as I understand it). I find that stretching/foam rolling regularly helps too.

Please explain the science behind what is actually going on though? What are the actual benefits?

There is no science behind it, other than people like it and it makes them feel better.

You can do it yourself with a foam roller.

Amazingly recover tool.

a) will toxins actually be drained?

I drink as much water as I can get in me after a massage, then piss like a race horse all evening…If I dont follow this process I feel pretty grim the following day.

Tennis ball / cricket ball is closer to the real thing, just roll about on top of one, find the really painful areas and put all your weight on the ball and hey presto – total agony!

The “theory” behind it is that you starve the tight point in the muscle of blood and oxygen thereby forcing it to relax.

I find that sticking needles in to that same point and wiggling the needle about has a much longer lasting effect.

/\ you are Trent Reznor and I claim my £5!

I’ll have to look into the roller/cricket ball thing and strive for that elusive agony!

The science behind it, as described when I had a couple of sessions, is that when you do excercise you tear muscle fibers – its a natural process and you can’t avoid. After exercise those fibres heal, but they don’t always heal in a nice ordered way so instead of the fibres being all nicely aligned, they heal in a lump – i.e. a knot. These knots restrict blood flow to part of the muscle (reducing muscle performance and purging of lactic acid and making you more susceptible to cramp), they cause stress points and make you susceptible to injuries. The sports massage breaks down these knots and, along side the cruicial and required after massage stretching, gives a chance for these fibres to heal in a way where they are aligned and don’t cause a knot. It worked for me as I was getting a recurring injury. The key is that you have to spend time stretching post exercise to prevent the formation of knots.

I’m sure there are other supposed benefits, but the one above is what was explained to me and it worked – before I was as knotted up as a piece of old rope, after I had very few knots and no more recurring injuries and less cramp. I now also do alot of stretching post exercise and this has helped keep things nice. Its worth a try, though I can’t justify or afford to doing it on a monthly or so basis as you’re supposed to.

It does hurt, the girl who did mine got her elbow into the knots and her full body weight behind it to forcebly break them down – it can be exctuciating, and it is sore for a good 24hrs after, though the second massage was far less brutal as there were less knots to go at and those that were there took less effort to break down.

My wife is a sports masseur. What wobbliscott said is most of it, yet in addition the massage stimulates blood and heat into the area to help the release of the knots / healing process. Think also of road riding or rowing in particular – certain muscles have a lot of strain going through them in a fixed position for a ling time. You stand up, muscle doesn’t want to relax/gets confused aka cramp/knot or both.

I drink as much water as I can get in me after a massage, then piss like a race horse all evening…If I dont follow this process I feel pretty grim the following day.

That’s what you are supposed to do as the process dehydrates you – I can’t remember quite why that is.

the girl who did mine got her elbow into the knots and her full body weight behind it to forcebly break them down – it can be exctuciating

my osteo does this.

the metal raise/lower lever on his couch had lost the plastic end cap allowing me to ‘stab’ my palm with it and offset the pain, which was useful when trying to tolerate the ‘beating up’, but then he found the end cap and glued it back on, which wasn’t so good 🙁

Scientific evidence on massage therapy is limited. Scientists are not yet certain what changes occur in the body during massage, whether they influence health, and, if so, how.

Taken from http://nccam.nih.gov/health/massage/massageintroduction.htm

If they are saying that the evidence is limited then you can take it that the evidence is very limited on non-existent.

Scientific evidence on massage therapy is limited. Scientists are not yet certain what changes occur in the body during massage, whether they influence health, and, if so, how.

Doh!

See, this is what I was trying to avoid.. the holistic argument.

Although, I now recall having a ‘knot’ broken down in my hamstring. It hurt (a lot), and seemed to heal better for the rub down.

the holistic argument

that just means ‘treating the whole’?

Just treat it like sophisticated grooming behaviour and enjoy the relaxing feel of someone manipulating your muscles whilst you lay there putting no effort in.

Although, I now recall having a ‘knot’ broken down in my hamstring. It hurt (a lot), and seemed to heal better for the rub down.

So you had a therapeutic massage, and not a sports one then. 😉

ah yes.. maybe?.. oh, whats the bloody difference?

Does one have a “happy ending?” 😉

ah yes.. maybe?.. oh, whats the bloody difference?

Either nothing at all, or a bit of qualified diagnosis before choosing a treatment for a specific injury.

There is a common misconception that massage needs to hurt to do any good. This is both bullshit and harmful. They key to getting to the deeper tissues is to go in slowly and gently – not like a bull in a china shop. 😉