http://www.aching-legs.org/powerwalker_legs_recovery.html 1

The power walker and aching LegsLeg recovery using anenvironmentally friendly recoverysystem

Here come 2 power walkers now!

Power walkers are slightly different from race walkers, there are not so many rules andprotocols concerning the sport or the body type needed to do it and anyone can take part nomatter what skills you have-

As long as you can walk!

On your own, with someone, informal group or club

The benefits of power walking on health are immense-there are magazines and websites aboutit that cover techniques, equipment, events, and clubs, so I can’t add anything new here and amnot going to try to do it, but for those interested I have added some links at the bottomWhat I am going to cover is an area that should interest everyone who does it but which not toomay people know anything about-recovery after pushing yourself too far

Recovery

Recovery after walking is important-simply because you have a normal working, domestic,study or any other life after it and if you are like most people who power walk you probablypush the limits too far occasionally and finish up sore and stiff as wellNot too many people involved in power walking are able to access the many sports and alliedhealth professionals such as physical therapists, coaches, doctors, or massage therapists whocan deal with these problems or want to, but they should have some form of recovery program

Massage and recovery

Massage is one of the most commonly used (and cheapest) forms of recovery from stiffnessand soreness-and it is one of the least understood-if considering this as part of a recoveryprogram and considering getting someone to work with you, there are 2 basic rules in decidingthe best person for it

•

The body recovers itself-the recoverer is just there to assist or facilitate that

•

No matter how good the therapist-the last man who could heal with his hands usingtouch died 2000 years ago

http://www.aching-legs.org/powerwalker_legs_recovery.html 2If your therapist can’t accept this then find another one because they have a belief that they arethe responsible for your recovery and will probably not listen to what

you

want and notlistening, accidents may happen that causes muscle damage and extending your recovery timeTo illustrate my point-I recently officiated as the recovery person at a 24 hour 100 mile event, Ihave my own area slightly away from the track where people come in when they have pushedtheir boundaries too far, and I am usually kept busy from about the 12 hour mark I did not know there was a rogue therapist pulling the walkers off the track until one of thesports trainers on a walk around caught him digging into one of the walker’s muscles andreported what he saw to the official in chargeIt was too late of course, the damage had been done, and she had a bad injury to her buttock muscles which made it impossible to continue walking-her event had finished and she went off home devastated-will she recover from the damage caused to do any walking again in the sportshe loves? She may, she may notIt turns out he was a qualified massage therapist, but had only worked with huge footballplayers, and while he may have been good in that area, did not have the slightest idea and couldnot adapt to recovery of slightly built walkers who had just pushed things too farIf someone is considering massage, they should be aware of what is happening; using theexample from Sandra Brown to stress how important the correct approach to muscles is.“The second tear (at least I have matching legs with old tears on both sides) was caused, to mygreat annoyance at the time, by an overenthusiastic physio who was supposed to be helping meto warm up gently before a 24 hour race and got carried away. I am now more wary of havingphysio at any time, and make sure that I stay in control, by saying at the outset what I want anddon’t want to be done to me. Having never had a persistent injury (my varied training patternmeans that any niggles have the chance to heal quickly, rather than get hammered and gocritical,) I have never had regular physio or a steady relationship of trust with anyphysiotherapist who knew me and my needs. The closest I have come to this was receivingmassage from Michael Gillan during the Nanango (Queensland) 1000-mile race in 1996. I hadno hesitation in having a massage from Michael again at the end of the Melbourne 100 mileswalk in 1999. Michael’s approach is very gentle at all times, and always works with the athleteand puts the athlete in control, thus minimizing the risk of harm and maximizing the benefit.’(Source:http://www.surreywalkingclub.org.uk/Training?Advice/Articles/training_for_ultras_by_sandra_br.htm#Training/forUltras_SB)Many power walkers go into fun runs etc. but if you go and are tempted to try a massage,watch the therapists first and see whether they are asking questions of the person they areworking with and communicating what they are intending to do, or whether they are just doingwhat they want to on the theory that they know what is best for the person on the tableSANDRA BROWN 1996 Ladies 1000 Mile World Record Holder