Last Updated on March 28, 2010 by Jimson Lee
If you can’t afford a daily massage, then I recommend at least a weekly massage as a bare minimum. A good therapist will cost anywhere above $70 USD per hour. I find 1 hour insufficient for the lower body, so my sessions are usually 75 or 90 minutes long.
$70 bucks may be pretty steep for some athletes, but if you want to succeed, then consider cutting back on a few non-essentials. Give up your weekday Starbucks Cappuccino and that alone will save you enough for a massage. Maybe downgrade your Cable TV package with all those premium channels.
Or maybe barter and trade services?
The bottom line is if you really want something, then you will find the funds to pay for it, unless your partner is a massage therapist.
I personally use a variety of self massage techniques.
I talked about foam rollers in previous articles:
They are even useful to use the rollers to strengthen a pulled hamstring.
The Massage Stick
Another hidden secret is the stick. 400 meter Hurdler Laurent Birade introduced this device to me back in 1992. You can also go cheap and buy a wooden rolling pin at a dollar store. (HINT – keep the plastic wrapper intact in case you want to use for cooking down the road)
They are smaller than a foam roller, but I found 2 limitations:
- They Original Body Sticks
aren’t stiff enough. Most sprinters are pretty muscular and they bend a bit too much. - Most models are 24” long which can be a bit too big for carry-on luggage standard of 9” x 14” x 22”. You could check it in, but you never know with airlines (** cough cough Heathrow Airport cough cough **) Plus, having it onboard means you can use it on long flights!
aren’t stiff enough. Most sprinters are pretty muscular and they bend a bit too much. It must be Christmas because I found two solutions.
They now make a Stick Sprinter Stick
version of the stick., and a shorter Stick 17.5" Self Massage Tool
travel size one.
If you suffer from Achilles Tendonitis, you know one of the causes is tight calves. This device works wonders.
Massage Sticks Available from Amazon
. .
Would you use self massage daily in the evenings?
Great article. Self-massage is an excellent way to predict and prevent injuries on your own schedule.
To answer the question from B-man…. you can self-massage as a warm-up, cool-down or recovery. Evenings are fine too when you are relaxing.
The Stick is an amazing tool. There is a model for anyone! If anybody is in Alberta, Canada… please visit our website. We distribute The Stick!!
You might also want to check out the Trigger Point quadroller. It is the next best thing to massage. I have used all the various types of foam rollers and the stick and there is no comarision.
@Jim – yes, I am researching TPT (Trigger Point Therapy) for an upcoming article.
@B man – yes, daily use is great. I love these sticks on long flights, especially if you can’t walk around.
Jimson, it’s great to read about someone who appreciates the importance of massage for athletes. Even though it is well known that elite athletes receive massage regularly, not everyone realizes how much they can benefit as well.
The self massage tools are great for making treatment more accessible. Just like with training, frequency helps. I also think they help because they get you mobilizing and stretching your body in a variety of positions, particularly the foam roller. Nothing beats a professional sports massage therapist though. (Admittedly, I’m biased about that.)
@Steven – I agree, nothing beats a professional sports massage therapist who know what he/she is doing!