5 Reasons to Run & Get a Massage — Often.

Did you pound out 26.2 miles in the Houston Marathon on Sunday? Or 13.1 in the Houston Half Marathon?

Or maybe you’re a tad sore from working up enough energy after a marathon-December holiday season to tackle taking down the last of the holiday decorations and dragging the tree to the curb at 2 a.m. in order to avoid the “uh-Christmas-was-over-3-weeks-ago” stares from the neighbors.

Doesn’t a massage sound good?
There are plenty of good reasons to get a massage but just in case you need an excuse – here are five.

Great Reason #1. Massage eases aches and pains. 

This one is the obvious reason, but if you’re a regular long distance runner, you need to know you have increased chances of developing varicose veins over your lifetime due to repeated pounding which can strain vein walls.  And if you’re a runner with diagnosed vein disease, you already know your blood is having trouble going the distance from the leg back up to the filtering organs and heart. Add in strenuous distance running or a tough workout and no wonder your legs are screaming “uncle, uncle!”
That’s why, in addition to wearing compression tights or socks post-race or strenuous workout, a circulation-boosting massage is necessary to help ease the lactic acid build up that had you “feeling the burn” earlier, by allowing fresh, oxygenated blood to work its natural healing magic and speed up recovery.

Great Reason #2 – Massage eases pain and discomfort associated with vein disease.

Massage is a godsend to vein disease sufferers who are experiencing these classic signs of vein disease:
Feelings of:

• Sluggishness
• Tiredness
• Achiness
• Restlessness
• Throbbing
• Pain

The gentle kneading movements of massage provide the compression necessary to get blood flowing upwards toward the heart while stimulating the flow of blood in deeper veins and arteries, bringing much-needed temporary relief of these classic vein disease symptoms. (For permanent relief, you need to also book a vein consultation and find out more about vein treatments at Hamilton Vein Center. Call 281-565-0033 today!)

Great Reason #3: Reduces swelling in legs.  

For swelling caused by exercise/overexertion, a Swedish or deep tissue massage can help. But for those suffering with more chronic forms of vein disease such as edema, Lymphatic Drainage Massage can help reduce the toxic swelling that’s built up in tissues using very light, rhythmic strokes in a specific, methodical pattern.

 The rhythmic cadence of this massage encourages healthy lymph movement and releases toxins.

Great Reason #4: That “Ahhhhh feeling.”

Just the sight of a massage table can lower most blood pressures.

Just add soothing music, close your eyes and be transported to paradise for an hour or so. By tuning out the world and tuning into your body, you do yourself a massive good deed. Regular massage improves the blood itself by stirring it up so to speak and sending that rich, nutrient-laced stream of goodness to tired, aching points in your body. When this happens the number of red blood cells goes up while blood pressure lowers — and you feel ahhhhhhhsome.
Great Reason #5. You deserve it! 
It doesn’t matter if you run 26.2 miles for fun or run 26.2 minutes late to work each day, massage is everybody’s way to ease the aches and pains life throws at us.

Remember, If you do suffer from painful varicose veins or advanced vein disease, be sure to make the massage therapist aware – so he or she can take it easy on tender areas or recommend a massage best suited for your situation.