Relieve Pain and Improve Performance: Massage Therapy in Jacksonville, FL, for Runners

Massage therapy is a worthwhile investment for any runner, whether they be a  professional or casual enthusiast. While running provides numerous physical and mental health benefits, it can also be hard on your muscles and joints, leading to issues like soreness, tightness, and even injuries. These side effects can impact your performance and even force you to quit running. If you experience soreness or pain after running, it's time you consider getting a massage for runners in Jacksonville, FL. Research shows that massage therapy helps improve muscle strength and care for joints constantly taxed during the sport, leading to better performance and reducing the risk of injuries.

Understanding How Massage Helps Runners

Running requires sustained and repetitive muscle contractions, generating force and engaging multiple muscle fibers. These actions can cause the body to develop tight muscles, restrict the range of motion of your joints, and reduce circulation to compressed tissues. Massage therapy helps relieve tightness, restore joint mobility, and improve circulation. 
The manipulative and rehabilitative techniques applied during massage profoundly affect the circulatory system, which is responsible for delivering oxygen and nutrients and removing waste from body cells. By improving circulation, massage enhances the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to muscle tissues while facilitating the removal of metabolic by-products and waste. These effects are crucial for faster recovery, injury prevention, and enhanced performance.

Benefits Of Massage Therapy for Runners:

• Reduced Muscle Soreness and Fatigue

After a run, it is expected to experience some soreness caused by tiny tears in the muscle fibers that occur when muscles are under stress during exercise. While this is a typical process the muscles must experience as they adapt to the stress of running, it can also be uncomfortable and sometimes even painful. Massage increases muscle blood flows, helping remove waste products and inflammation. The increased blood flow allows the muscles to get enough oxygen and nutrients, leading to faster recovery.
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• Improved Joint Range of Motion

Tight and sore muscles can restrict movement and range of motion, limiting your running performance and increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, tight muscles can stress other body parts, leading to pain and discomfort. Getting a professional massage for athletes in Jacksonville, FL, involves applying deep frictional pressure to the muscles to help loosen and relax the tight muscle fibers. Massage helps muscles relax through a combination of physical, physiological, and psychological processes.

• Posture and Gait Improvement

It is critical to maintain proper posture and gait for efficient running. Massage helps restore posture and gait alignment, ensuring optimal biomechanics during training and preventing injuries.

• Stretching Effects

Tissues that cannot stretch through conventional techniques can be targeted through massage to relieve strain or tension. Bundles of muscle fibers(fasciculi) are stretched sideways and longitudinally. Massage also stretches the sheath or fascia surrounding muscles.

• Clears Lactic Acid from Tissues

Running is an intense physical activity that often leaves the body with an insufficient supply of oxygen. To meet the energetic demands of the sport, the body triggers partial degradation of glucose, which leads to the production of lactate that exceeds its removal. Lactate accumulation in muscle tissues is linked to increased muscle fatigue and decreased muscle performance. Massage helps clear lactate from the muscles for better performance.

• Improved Tissue Elasticity

Running can make tissues stiff and inelastic. Massage can reverse this by stretching tissues and circulating blood and nutrients around the body. With increased elasticity, you gain more flexibility, range of motion, and joint mobility, promoting smoother and more efficient movement. This, in turn, reduces the likelihood of injuries occurring or recurring.

When And How Often Should Runners Get a Massage? 

Massage therapy is beneficial before and after running. It can help build your performance and also plays a role in the recovery phase. However, the frequency you get a massage can be entirely up to you or what your professional massage therapist recommends. You can also factor in how frequently you run and the intensity of your running activities. The best results are realized when the massage is performed regularly. Therefore, you can make it a weekly, biweekly or monthly routine to support your body's ability to perform, recover, and prevent injuries, depending on the level of support needed.

Massage Mental Health Benefits for Runners

In addition to benefiting you physically, getting a massage at The Wellness Hub in Jacksonville, FL, can also help lower your risk of depression, anxiety, and other common mental health conditions. While running is widely considered therapeutic for mental health, preparing for races or dealing with injuries can be stressful and impact mental health negatively. Receiving regular massages can help relieve stress, mentally prepare you for racing, and prevent and heal running injuries.

Upcoming Races and Runs in Jacksonville, Florida

Two of the biggest running events in Jacksonville of the year are coming up - The Donna Marathon (The National Marathon to End Breast Cancer) and The Gate River Run.

The National Marathon to End Breast Cancer and 5K will take place on February 3rd and 4th, 2024 in Jacksonville and the Jax Beaches. Founded by local celebrity Donna Deegan, a former TV News Anchor for many years and now current Mayor of Jacksonville since 2023, the marathon and 5K raises funds and awareness for fighting breast cancer and helping patients.

The Gate River run takes place on March 2nd, 2024.  This is the largest 15K in the country and a qualifying race for many larger races around the country. People travel to Jacksonville from all over to experience this run in our mild winter weather. The 15K race starts at the fairgrounds near downtown Jacksonville and crosses the St. John's River twice to end up at the Jaguars Stadium.

Jacksonville is the home to many other runs and races throughout the year. If you are looking for running events to participate in, local running shop 1st Place Sports publishes a handy Jacksonville race calendar where you can learn about all of the upcoming races.

Run to The Wellness Hub for Relief

At The Wellness Hub, we offer different types of massage therapies to meet your needs and goals. For expert and professional massage near you in Jacksonville, FL, contact us today or schedule an appointment online. We will advise which massage has the most benefits for your running journey and how to add it to your routine.

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We are pleased to serve the following Florida communities with massage therapy, chiropractic, organic skincare, acupuncture, red light therapy and more: Jacksonville, Orange Park, Fleming Island, Mandarin, Jacksonville Beach, Nocatee, St Johns, Ponte Vedra and more.

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Call Us (904) 512-7551

click here to book online