Thursday June 1st 2000 Therapists on hand to get rid of the aches and pains |
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| For hundreds of participants on June 11, a key element to making the most of the Tesco Evening Herald Women's Mini Marathon is the care provided by the therapists from the Institute of Physical Therapy and Applied Science (IPTAS). Up to 60 trained therapists will be on call at the start and finish lines, helping participants perform to their utmost during the race, and returning them to daily life with the minimum of discomfort or after-effects. Up to 300 pre-race treatments will be provided, with a similar number afterwards, and the demand at both stages is huge. The Sports Massage team will operate from marquees erected around St Stephen's Green, between Grafton Street and Dawson Street. Treatment is provided strictly on a first-come first-served basis, and is free of charge. Prior to the event, those in the Mini Marathon can call to the IPTAS marquee for a 'fine tuning' programme that will help muscles work longer and more efficiently. This mainly involves |
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massage and individually tailored techniques including gentle stretching for the calves, quads, and hamstrings, and everyone receiving treatment is scanned first by a therapist for possible contra-indications, such as recent sprains, pulled muscles or deep vein thromboses. Post-event, the treatment addresses the exhaustion, soreness, and limping that many runners experience. Gentle massage helps muscles in spasm, and flushes out the lactic acid that builds up in the muscle tissue. This also presents a good opportunity to identify potential problem areas, (such as shin splints or early signs of compartment syndrome), that participants might not have noticed. The treatment provided is restricted to musculo-skeletal problems, so blisters etc are referred to the Order of Malta. To visit the Priory Clinic website - click here.
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