Marathon Running

* Every month we will be giving away a complimentary sports massage in our winter prize draw.

Please email your details to us on the contacts page and as well as keeping you updated with special events and offers here at the clinic, we will enter you in our monthly draw. Alternatively if you are in the clinic please drop your business card in to the box. The lucky recipient will be notified the last working day of each month.

Sports Strapping

We are now offering sports strapping as a service, for those requiring support for injuries or to be used as a preventative measure during training or on match days.

Please book an appointment slot with the physiotherapist for this service. For those confident enough to self strap or those who have been taught by the physio during a previous visit, we are pleased to announce the Recovery and Beyond Physiotherapy shop.

We will stock a wide range of tapes and supports for sale at competitive prices. The physiotherapists will be more than happy to advise on tape choices etc…

Please ask if we do not have what you are looking for, we are able to order in for you.

Stephen Jay joins Cardiff Physiotherapy

We are pleased to announce that our sports masseur Stephen Jay has, due to popular demand taken up full time residency at the clinic. Steve will now be able to offer more flexible appointment times with daytime, evening, and weekend slots available.

With Cardiffs very own half marathon on the 17 th October and the shine event on the 25th September, followed by the Dublin and Loch Ness marathons and the NYC marathon on the 7th November, we thought we would kick-start our first newsletter with sports massage and it’s role in pre and post training in the runner.

We would like to wish our clients every success in these events.

Sports Massage pre/post marathon training

Sports massage can be used effectively before, during and after exercise to prepare the body for an event, or to return the body to a pre – event state.

Pre-event maintenance

When used during training or before exercise or an event (within 24 hours) Massage can:

• Increase blood flow to muscles and soft tissues.
• Increase oxygen delivery in preparation for exercise
• Loosen shortened , tense muscle tissue
• Increase the elasticity of over – trained hard tissues
• Stretch muscles in a variety of ways, stretching fibres and connective tissue that surrounds the muscles, reducing pain and tension.
• It helps to decrease the recovery time between training sessions, especially following longer runs.

When used within a training programme regular massage helps to maintain and improve muscle tone, flexibility and range of motion whist reducing chances of injury.

Sports massage can also have a psychological effect, and depending on the techniques used can invigorate the body and mind, increasing awareness and muscle tone, or can have a soothing effect, which can relax and reduce anxiety before an event.

Post marathon massage

It is far more valuable to receive a massage as soon as possible after an event.

The sooner this takes place the better the recovery rate and reduction of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS ) which can be experienced 1-3 days post marathon.

When used after an event, massage can:

• Relieve tightness, stiffness, spasms and restrictions in the muscle tissue.
• Increase blood circulation, bringing more oxygen and nutrients into the muscle to reduce muscle fatigue and soreness.
• Promote rapid removal of toxins and waste products from the muscle (within first few hours )
• Help with the healing of microscopic tears in muscle, reducing discomfort.
• Help return the body to a pre-event state, speeding recovery and aiding better performance in the future.

When is the best time for massage?

The majority of people find that scheduling a session on one of their lighter training days more beneficial, as it enables the therapist to treat any specific muscular tightness allowing a day or two recovery before longer training runs, which for most people will take place on a weekend.

Alternatively some runners prefer to schedule their massage following their longer training run, allowing them to maximize their training performance during the week.

You may find it useful to discuss your training routine with the therapist to find out when the optimum time will be for you. We welcome enquiries so if you would like any further information on sports massage please call or drop us a line.