The Raining Faith Self Massage Video Series is a project designed for endurance athletes. As a bicycle racer in the 80’s I read an article on self-massage. At that time there wasn’t access to professional massage therapists nor could I have afforded it. So I became self taught in massage and used it as a recovery tool. Recent research has shown exactly why massage quickens recovery time in endurance athletes.
With this new research confirming what many have known for years it presented me with a quandary regarding my massage therapy practice. I can only work on so many people a week in my profession. Receiving massage as quickly as possible post training or competition is of the most benefit to athletes; yet due to cost and time it is not entirely feasible. The sooner one gets massage the sooner the recovery process begins.
These days I have moved from cycling to primarily trail running, backpacking and yoga as an athlete. It has been a process to transform my body from a lifelong cyclist to runner, but in 2017 I ran the 40 mile Grand Traverse and also successfully ran R2R2R. Funny, that only after completing those two endeavors did I then feel qualified to now call myself a runner! You will find that the lower leg techniques below will be especially helpful for a host of problems from the knee through the foot. I use them regularly with my running clients.
You will find other short self massage videos below addressing specific issues and injuries and how to address them yourself. Enjoy!
Foam Rolling the Feet ↓
Self Massage for Plantar Fascia Pain ↓
Use the active exercises in the video below in conjunction with the self-massage for plantar fascia pain video as part of a complete lower leg warm up before running or hiking.↓
Self Massage for IT Band Pain ↓
Click here to read a post on understanding your IT band pain.
Hamstring Self Massage and Warm Up Routine ↓
Self Massage and Stretches for Forearm Flexor Pain ↓
Self Massage Technique to Alleviate a Side Stitch ↓
I am a bike rider and was wanting to see how to warm up for winter rides. I think this site will help
Hi Marie, thanks for checking out the site and for the comment. Is there anything specific that you would like to see regarding a warm up?
Hi Matthew,
How long would you recommend spending on Self Massage for Plantar Fascia Pain. For each massage session should I just spend the amount of time shown in the video (approx 5-6 minutes), or is it better to spend more time at it?
Thanks
Frank
Hi Frank,
Thanks for checking out the video and your question. Spending 5-6 minutes is a good starting point. Frequency (daily or a few times per week) may be more beneficial than increasing the duration. The soft tissue will change over time and begin to “normalize” as you resolve issues especially regarding adhesions in the tissue. Tight musculature will also lengthen and can become more supple and therefore hopefully function better.
You might also read this anecodotal case study I wrote about a client last fall if you haven’t already. It explains a slightly different situation but involves the lower leg and ankle. http://www.rainingfaith.com/massage-therapy-and-marathon-preparation-a-case-study/
Lastly, if you can find a good sports massage therapist or physiotherapist locally that does similar techniques such as these, they can find specific issues with their trained hands and then give you good advice on self-care and maintenance. I hope this helps! Good luck!
Matt