My Massage Therapist has identified what I have been referring to as an abdominal strain to be soreness in my Ischiofemural ligament.  Shannon could double as a Physical Therapist – she’s good.  She can name any muscle or ligament in the body.  In my ignorance, I’ve equated the area of pain to my abdomen; but by applying pressure she has pinpointed the pain and it is where the ischio region of my hip connects with my leg.

The remedy for my condition, other than to stop running, is effective stretching.  And I will tell you that daily visits to the hot springs during my recent vacation to Pagosa Springs greatly mitigated the pain.  Shannon performs fascial stretching as part of my regular massages.  Some athletes see a Physical Therapist, others swear by their Chiropractors.  They might benefit from insurance coverage.  I prefer to take my sports medicine with a dose of full body massage.

Shannon devotes the final third of my massage time to perform this fascial stretching.  I’m a real convert.  I can’t be nude for this.  Well, I could but I have a little bit of modesty so I wear runner shorts.  The technique involves applying pressure on specific muscle groups with inhaling and exhaling during a slow stretch.  The result differs from the relaxation I feel after just a massage.  I walk away feeling considerably stronger.  I highly recommend this type of stretching.  I did this prior to my downhill mile – the day before – to ensure I wouldn’t injure myself trying to run fast.  The results were good.  I’m excited enough to want to turn people on to this therapy.  If you live in the Denver area, Shannon recommends visiting the Denver Stretch Institute.  Or setup an appointment with Shannon at Massage Envy in Longmont.