Self Massage tips using Pretty Athletic Sports Body Oil
Our NEW Sports Body Oil with Arnica and Ginger is a new addition to our skincare and bodycare range. It absorbs really well leaving your skin super soft and your muscles feeling relaxed, so it's a great oil for self massage after sport.
We asked Kerry O'Flaherty, pro runner and Olympian (and Pretty Athletic ambassador) for her top self-massage tips! So read on...
My tips and techniques for use
- I recommend one pump of the Pretty Athletic Sports Body Oil for the lower leg area and two for your upper leg. A little goes a long way!
- Rub the body oil lightly into the palms of your hands, using light to moderate pressure glide the palms of your hands over your calf and shin area. Using the heel of your hands rub upwards in the direction of the heart.
- Use your fingers and thumbs to start to apply extra pressure to those tighter areas and hold for a few seconds on those trigger points that you find until the tightness/pressure starts to ease and then rub out lightly again with the heel of your hands.
- On very tight areas press down with your thumbs using a circular motion to ease out the tension.
- Give the lower leg another light to moderate glide with the palms of your hands and finish off by letting the calf muscle hang loose and giving it a light shake out with your hands.
- The upper leg areas, the quads and hamstrings, can be warmed up in the same way.
- Use the palms of your hands to work from the knee towards the groin area, apply stronger pressure with the heel of your hand and the knuckles can be used to trigger point these larger muscle areas.
- The IT Band that runs up the side of your quad muscle is a particular area you may find is tight and needs that extra pressure with the thumbs and knuckles.
- Use the palms of your hands again to gently flush the muscles after trigger pointing and then finish off by standing up and using your hands to give the quad muscles a good shake out.
NOTE: Be careful around joint and tendon areas, rub lightly and do not apply too much pressure. If injured seek advice from a physio before trying any of the above techniques.
Shop our new Muscle Therapy: Sports Body Oil here.
