Have you ever finished a run and felt a twinge that you knew wasn't quite right, but worried that an appointment with a doctor might be a bit of an overreaction (and an unnecessary strain on your wallet)?
Experts recommend the usual suspects to keep yourself in shape after runs: a stretch routine, ice if necessary. But something you might want to consider as part of your injury prevention work is massage or bodywork, according to Competitor.com.
Boston-area massage therapist Eric Fix recommends that competitive runners seek treatment every four to six weeks, and that recreational runners try it out every two or three months. But the key element to any time with a massage or physical therapist is to ask about self-massage techniques and ways to stay aware of your own trouble spots (and what to do with them) between appointments. You should leave a PT's office with take-home exercises to help you prevent injury between visits. Asking that crucial question could be the difference between staying in peak performance shape, or having to head back to your doctor because you weren't listening to your body.
Foam rolling, tennis balls, pressure points, and more can all be key to fine-tuning your body on your own instead of waiting for that dreaded, mysterious twinge.
Check in with a PT and let us know-- what do you do to stay well after a run?
