Part 1 - SELF MASSAGE. AdvanceSRM Therapies' DIY Guide to Self-Care for Runners!
| Author: | John-Wayne Hughes |
| Published: | 4th November 2018 |
| Categories: | Blog, Clinical massage, Physiotherapy, Stretches, Clinical advice |
In short:
Self Massage - Longitudinal Gliding!
Being able to support your physical wellbeing to improve the movement, mobility and glide of soft tissues of the body is essential for healthy running. Freedom from adhesions, restrictions or tightness will ensure that the muscles, tendons, ligaments and surrounding soft tissue structures are able The to move the body in a functionally optimal way.
Although AdvanceSRM clients may learn upto 6 main self-massage techniques to get the most out of their body's here you will be introduced to the benefits of two of the main self-massage techniques that are thoroughly recommended for keep muscles healthy and strong.
A Vital Technique that all Runners NEed to Learn to do correctly - Longitudinal Gliding
Longitudinal Gliding
Longitudinal gliding provides you with a great way of assessing and treating the soft tissues you are looking to massage. A classic technique this can be applied both superficially or deep and is generally applied to tissues in the direction of the blood flow towards the heart. For example, when working on the leg the stroke must always be performed upwards in the direction of the hip. The reason for this is down to the fact that blood is pumped to the body from the heart via arteries and gets carried back to the heart via veins, which have specialised non-return valves along their lengths, preventing the back flow of blood. Longitudinal strokes in the direction of the heart ensures that the pressure applied is not working against the flow of blood in the veins, which could result in damage to the valves.
Read on to know the benefits of this tehnique!
In detail:
The Benefits Of Longitudinal Gliding
The positive benefits of this are far reaching and include all of the following:When performing these strokes, the rolling tool should ideally stay in contact with the soft tissue underneath and should run the full length of the muscle being targeted. It is advisable to do this in a slow and methodical manner across the area of the body being massaged so that you can effectively assess the quality of the tissues and identify any specific issues that need addressing such as adhesions, tension, areas of discomfort or scar tissue.
*stimulates circulation
*elongates muscle fibres
*relaxes hypertonic tissues
*increases the flow of oxygen and nutrients to cells
*aids fluid dispersion from injured tissues
*encourages the removal of cellular debris
AdvanceSRM's Guide to Self-Care for Runners - Self Massage Longitudinal Giding!
In this video I demonstrate how to use the foam roller correctly when applying longitudinal gliding on the hamstrings. Always work towards the heart when working on the limbs!
Empowering you on Instagram, Facebook & Twitter
For all of you that are interested in taking control of your own self-care why not check out the growing bank of AdvanceSRM videos, which are regularly uploaded to your favourite social media platform. The latest posts can be accessed directly by scrolling from the bottom of this page.
Alternatively, by clicking the image you can gain quick access to the portion of AdvanceSRM's videos that are dedicated to SELF-MASSAGE.
If however, you are coping with a soft tissue complaint, whether it be because of POSTURE, INJURY, SURGERY or ILLNESS, and you need expert help then get in touch today for expert help.
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