On Massage

Gazzetta

This article could go dreadfully wrong……….

The benefits of massage are, I assume, well accepted.  For myself, I’ve had loads of physio over the years, mainly courtesy of a legacy of back injuries playing Rugby catching up with me in my older years.  However, I’ve not often had the good fortune to  avail myself of a massage by a Physio after a lengthy ride.  So I have to resort to DIY massage.

A number of years ago I bought a Remington cordless massage machine as shown.  I have to say it is remarkably effective.  I use it after a long ride and often before a ride too and the result truly is invigorating.

Remington Massage Controls

Remington Massage Side

This particular model has a hot/cold option with 2 speeds of vibration.  The head rotates so that you can have a general massage from the flat face (hot/cold/neutral) or twist it around for a magnetic pressure point massage.

The general approach with massage is to always massage away from your extremities towards your core to help blood to flush from your muscles towards your core (Liver etc) to remove ‘undesirables’.  I find this works best if I lie on my back with legs raised and relaxed with my heels on a chair.  Start working from my calf, then quads and hamstrings.

I seem to remember that the instructions (long lost) state not to massage a muscle for more than 5 mins at a time.  I work each group for about a minute and cycle through 2 or 3 times.  The affect is quite amazing and after a hard ride it can take my old muscles from creaking up/down the stairs to walking (more or less) normally up/down them.

In general DIY massage has a lot to recommend it.

PS – Best not used in a public space at it can be misinterpreted as to what is going on, particularly when working on the upper hamstrings……….

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