PAMELA LEBLANC: FIT CITY

Deep-tissue massage, though uncomfortable, can do world of good for those who are active

By Pamela LeBLanc
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Monday, November 26, 2007

Massage, it turns out, isn't just about pampering.

The last thing most folks do while lying on a table getting the lactic acid pummeled out of their muscles is relax. But deep tissue massage is an important part of a fitness routine, particularly for athletes. Vigorous massage can improve muscle flexibility, boost range of motion and ease stiffness. It can even improve blood flow and lower blood pressure.

It just doesn't necessarily feel all that good while it's happening.

"I survived another one," Austin pro golfer Tom Kite moaned recently as he left AustinDeep, a massage therapy center on Lake Austin Boulevard.

Kite, who has 19 PGA Tour victories to his name, checks in for a massage once a week when he's not traveling. The body rotation required to play a game of golf is intense, and massage helps work out the kinks. He asks the therapist to focus on his back, glutes, shoulders, legs and hip flexors.

"On that table, it's not fun," he says. "But it's something you need to do."

Jessica Price, owner of AustinDeep,

works with many prominent Austin athletes, primarily runners, triathletes and golfers. Her client list includes former University of Texas basketball stars Brad Buckman, LaMarcus Aldridge and Kevin Durant, golfers Tom Jenkins and Joe Ogilvie, and triathlete Desirée Ficker. Gilbert Tuhabonye, an elite runner and head of the Gilbert's Gazelles running program, is a regular.

"If you should invest in a good shoe, you should invest in a massage," Tuhabonye says.

After a long run, the muscles and layer of fascia underneath the skin can cinch up. A combination of stretching and massage can help prevent injury and keep a runner training, he says.

"So many things go wrong when you run. Your hamstring gets tight, your calf gets tight, your upper body gets tight," he says. Massage is the best way to loosen up again. "You might scream, but afterward you feel loose."

Todd Wright, director of strength and conditioning programs for basketball at UT, agrees. He played college football 20 years ago, when massage wasn't part of the routine. What was once seen as a luxury is now considered an integral part of developing an athlete. Members of the UT men's basketball team get massages on a regular basis, he says.

"I think the evolution in training in the last 10 years and the science that has gone into it have pushed the envelope on how to help athletes maximize their potential," he says. "Getting through the belly of a muscle and working it very deeply gives it the ability to bring more blood flow into an area," Wright says. It also helps loosen any muscle adhesions, which restrict movement.

I decide to try it myself. At AustinDeep, I strip to my skivvies, then climb beneath the bed sheets laid out on a table in the dimly lit room. Music plays softly. After I've had a few minutes to fret, Price comes in. We discuss my problem areas — a stiff neck from a recent fall while slalom water-skiing; a calf injury from running; and shoulder soreness from years of swimming. She starts with fast, sweeping motions up and down my back. The friction warms up my body, and my skin turns pink. She looks for points of tightness.

Just when I think I could possibly doze off, she dives in with thumbs and fists, kneading my shoulder muscles like dough for a loaf of holiday bread. Soon, it feels like a 200-pound rolling pin is wringing the life out of each muscle. I concentrate on breathing deeply.

I've promised to tell her if it's too much, and once or twice I do. Sometimes, clients don't – usually men. She says she can usually tell anyway, by the almost subconscious way they pull back from the pressure.

"You definitely feel my presence. But I work with your pain level," she says.

After an hour, I feel like a piece of tenderized beef. All I want to do is flop on the couch. But alas, I have to go back to work. She hands me a bottle of water and orders me to drink up. I'm rosy-cheeked and floppy-limbed. She warns me I will be sore and possibly bruised. But the worst is over.

"The relaxation starts when you leave the building," says Price, a runner herself.

Price has some tips for athletes looking for massage therapists. First, find someone with whom you feel comfortable. When you go in, describe as specifically as possible any muscle aches or pains you want worked on. Tell the therapist about any recent injuries; those areas should be avoided during a deep tissue massage.

Timing is important, too. Don't schedule a deep-tissue massage immediately before a big race. "You're moving things around and your body needs time to heal," Price says. Your body needs time to recover after a big race, too. Wait a few days before scheduling a deep tissue massage. (But those light rub-downs offered after some races are fine.) The best time is after your daily workout, not before, and the day before your rest day.

I scheduled my massage for a Friday, so I had two days to recover before hopping back in the water for swim team practice. And when I did, I felt smoother. My arms had a greater range of motion. I felt like an eel slipping through the water.

Do eels get massage?