At the Top of Your Game

Sports Massage a Must for Athletic Performance

Cathy Ulrich

“It was my first marathon and I’d been fighting a 20 mile-an-hour headwind for most of the race. When I finished, my upper back and hamstrings were so tight I couldn’t stretch them myself,” says Colorado athlete Camie Larson. “My husband, Jamie, found me and led me to the massage line. When I got to the massage therapist, she quickly assessed my condition. She worked on my hamstrings, softening and gently stretching them until they were loose enough so I could stretch them myself the rest of the day. She also worked on my back and shoulders, which were tight from battling the headwind. I’m convinced I would have been in big trouble had I not gotten the massage.”

Larson is just one example of a triathlete and runner who includes massage in her regular training routine. She commits to a massage every other week during the heaviest part of her training season and says, “If I get too busy and don’t get a massage, I really notice the difference. My legs and shoulders are tighter and it’s much harder to recover from training sessions.”

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