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Though a great source of exercise, and an interesting practice of good posture, running comes with a set of bodily drawbacks. Luckily, we’ve got some Thai Massage poses that can curb these aches and pains.
Running offers countless benefits, according to Greatist. Some of those upsides are obvious — it lowers blood pressure, boosts energy, improves sleep, brightens your mood, and staves off heart disease.
Others are more obscure — running lengthens your lifespan, sharpens the mind (to the point of abating the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia), improves your skin, ramps up serotonin levels, and may even calm the mind while increasing stress resistance.
Despite these perks, the high-impact sport also comes with its fair share of drawbacks. Research shows that 82% of runners experience an injury directly cause by the activity, as Everyday Health reports. Jogging puts strain on your knees — those with sensitive knees and joints are cautioned to stay away from it, and people who aren’t even in this category can often experience runner’s knee.
Additionally, running can also become a literal pain in the butt due to the inflammation of tendons known as gluteus medius tendinosis or greater trochanteric pain syndrome. Strained muscles, as well as pelvic misalignment, are also common causes of tush pain.
Octane Fitness lists the top five running injuries, from shin splints to Piriformis Syndrome, and fortunately, the majority of the damage can be treated at home with “rest… stretches, and strength training.” In fact, some of these remedies should be included in every exerciser’s routine.
John Henwood, founder of TheRUN, thinks that massage should be another healing technique that runners turn to — he suggests in Buzzfeed that frequent exercisers get a deep-tissue massage as frequently as twice a month. Massage facilitates the recovery process and makes you more immune to future injury.
Thai Massage to the Rescue
Thai Massage offers the perfect relief from high-impact activity like running, which creates scar tissue, shortens overactive muscles, and can reduce a joint’s range of motion. The Thai approach to healing has a profound impact on a runner’s body.
Through Thai Massage, you can better your performance, gain flexibility, prevent injuries, and hasten recovery.
Runners, as you might have expected, generally carry more tension in their lower half — the legs, hips, and feet. A Thai Massage practitioner responds to the built-up tension with deeper, longer stretches that gently release tension, dissolve adhesions and alleviate scar tissue. Passive poses prove especially effective in counteracting the long-term effects of running.
A posture like tree pose open up and relax more medial structures around the knee and hip, both crucial areas for runners to keep flexible in order to quickly recover from injuries and to avoid them altogether.
It’s especially important in situations like these to keep blood flowing in this area so that the healing process can be made as efficient as possible.
Meanwhile, the Hamstring Rock stretches and massages the hamstrings simultaneously, keeping the posterior side of this critical area limber and relaxed. In addition to its namesake muscles, the pose impacts the glutes, groin, and lower back.
The cross-over posture stretches the muscles forgotten in the traditional hip opener. By closing off the hips, the cross-over stretches the leg’s lateral chain from the lumbar spine all the way down to the foot’s blade.
Usually, the hip lifts slightly, which generates a gentle spinal twist. The twist brings with it beneficial disc lubrication and organ pressure. The stretch’s intensity also results in deepened breath that improves blood oxygenation.
Stretch to Succeed
Thai Massage contains a multitude of poses that remedy the ills of running. Each pose loosens and stretches muscles with patience and respect for the human body. Why wouldn’t any runner want to relax, replenish, and rejuvenate all at the same time?
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