Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Relaxation
Self Service Recovery from fatigued legs and angry muscles
Like many runners and walkers these people have put a lot of effort into their sport-
they will have trained hard and entered many events each hoping they will better
their personal best times (or even win) in THIS event
No matter how much training they do (and you can overtrain) there is nothing like actually being an
event to bring out the best in a runner or walker, the other competitors and the adrenaline rush can
help to push the boundaries to the limits (and beyond)
Competing Preparing
Training
There is also an extra level that the athlete should include in the mix-this is unfortunately the part
that not too many of them know too much about because the ones who do specialize in this area are
usually the sports institutes and universities with all their research facilities and it takes a long time
for their information to filter down to the general runner and walker
Much of this information while useful may also be too scientific and complicated to apply to the
everyday event because it may need some specialized technique or equipment to use by the average
person who has just run or walked their heart out and is sore, fatigued and in a while when the
muscles have cooled, stiff as well
Directly after the event has finished is when most people are distressed and turn up at the recovery
area to hopefully receive assistance to get help in the initial stages of post event recovery-but
wouldn’t you know it-just when you are at your lowest, and need help fast, the recovery area has
lines of people waiting in line with the same problems
Tough Luck
1
Copyright Michael Gillan Long Distance Recovery Specialist
http://aching-legs-relief.com
Self Service Recovery-the Calf Muscle Pump-Running Recovery using Light Manual Muscle
Relaxation
It wouldn’t have been if you had the ‘knowledge’ to look after yourself better
Instead of the graph on page 1, the graph should include some extra steps
Prepare Train
Full Compete
Recovery
Post Immediate
Post
Event Event
These people have been running for 3 days-their muscles have been overused and are extremely
sore to touch-the fibers have micro-tears in them which are being healed by the body-one of the
first stages in their repair is inflammation which produces heat-they are angry
The body is in the first stages of repair at the micro-cellular level
No amount of working on the muscles with manual therapies at this stage is going to help them-and
interfering with uncontrolled finger force into the muscle tissues can make them worse and lengthen
recovery time because it breaks into the inflammatory repair and increases the heat through friction
The ‘window of opportunity’-the Immediate Post Event Phase
If the approach to the muscles is appropriate, this stage offers a ‘window of opportunity’ that
can be taken advantage of to speed up the recovery of the walker/runner-this is done by
calming the angry muscles and working with them to facilitate their repair and recovery
They need Immediate Poste Event care
2
Copyright Michael Gillan Long Distance Recovery Specialist
http://aching-legs-relief.com
Self Service Recovery-the Calf Muscle Pump-Running Recovery using Light Manual Muscle
Relaxation
Post Event Recovery
Post event is done at that indefinable time after the event-whenever time is available and it is
convenient to can be made to fit a recovery session in-the ‘window of opportunity’ when the
muscles are still warm from the use they have had and are still pliable, has usually closed
By the time post event recovery is started, the soreness is intensified by stiffness-every movement is
an effort mixed with pain-time on the recovery table is spent trying to loosen the muscles so that the
runner/walker can simply stand up again
On return to Blood
body blood is pumped from
renourished heart through
and recycled arteries under
pressure
Calf muscles
act as pump
motors
By the time the blood reaches the feet, all the pressure has been used, and there is none left to return
the used blood back up the legs to the body against gravity again
Old blood and fluid is taken out of the lower legs through the veins back to the body, fresh blood is
supplied to the muscles through the arteries
4
Copyright Michael Gillan Long Distance Recovery Specialist
http://aching-legs-relief.com
Self Service Recovery-the Calf Muscle Pump-Running Recovery using Light Manual Muscle
Relaxation
These are the motors to make the pump work
Soleus Gastrocnemius
As the muscles move, they increase and decrease pressure on the vessel walls (the veins) which
have one-way valves in them, these open to let the blood pass along them, and close to prevent the
blood flowing back towards the feet
To keep the circulation in the lower legs going, a similar volume should be
pumped out of the legs as flows into them
When the muscles are not doing their job properly the pump becomes
inefficient
Above shows what can happen when muscle tightness prevents the calf muscle pump from
working-this can affect the circulation in the legs by reducing the ability of the pump to send used
blood and by-products from the legs back to the body for recycling
Poor circulation means less movement of fluids and under the influence of gravity may become
trapped in the lower legs; once there water (or lymphatic fluid) may separate from the blood,
migrate through the vessel walls and fill the tissue spaces-as it can’t be pumped away quickly
enough, the ankles swell (edema)-the build up restricts the supply of fresh oxygen filled blood to
the muscle tissues without it, they quickly fatigue and become Inefficient and angry
5
Copyright Michael Gillan Long Distance Recovery Specialist
http://aching-legs-relief.com
Self Service Recovery-the Calf Muscle Pump-Running Recovery using Light Manual Muscle
Relaxation
Problems caused by calf muscle pump inefficiency and angry
muscles include
• Poor circulation
• Lymph system inactivity
• Venous return reduced
Calf
Muscle
Fatigue
Fresh Tight
blood calf
reduced muscles
Poor
blood
return
Half an hour before this picture was taken-his muscles had gone on strike and
stopped working completely
Using a simple recovery strategy is more effective than using complicated hard to
learn skills-it is also more effective than relying on chance for leg recovery
6
Copyright Michael Gillan Long Distance Recovery Specialist
http://aching-legs-relief.com
Self Service Recovery-the Calf Muscle Pump-Running Recovery using Light Manual Muscle
Relaxation
Disadvantages of relying on chance to recover the legs
This is the most widely accepted form of leg recovery-it relies on a number of factors for its success
in helping the legs to recover-it is also the most passive
• Time-how much do you have to spare for elevating the legs for an unspecified time?
• Place-are you somewhere you can lie down without being fallen over by others
• Health-depending on your age and health, it may be dangerous to be lying down for long
periods; some people suffer from vertigo when they stand up, and may go light headed
and dizzy-this can result in falls
Swollen ankles from lymph fluid (or water) separating from the static blood and migrating through
the vessel walls into the tissue spaces instead of being pumped away can be the result inefficient use
of calf muscles
Being a mechanically based pump, the system can be serviced or restarted using a manual system to
remove some of the fluid and pressure that has built up-once started, fresh blood can more easily
enter the muscle tissues and start the recovery process
The recovery can now commence by restarting the calf muscle pump
7
Copyright Michael Gillan Long Distance Recovery Specialist
http://aching-legs-relief.com
Self Service Recovery-the Calf Muscle Pump-Running Recovery using Light Manual Muscle
Relaxation
FIGURES TAKEN FROM THE (1995 COLAC 6 DAY FOOTRACE)
NAME Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6
A Krouglikov 237.2 113.6 130 106 126 108Kilometers
539 284 325 265 315 270Laps
T Rusek 215.2 98.8 98 139.6 138.4 122.4Kilometers
538 247 245 349 346 306Laps
M Taylor 174.4 128.8 143.6 123.6 120.8 89.2Kilometers
436 322 359 309 302 223Laps
B Beauchamp 180.4 133.2 124 117.6 110 93.2Kilometers
451 333 310 294 275 233Laps
P Gray 150 134 105.2 94.8 111.6 106Kilometers
375 335 263 237 279 265Laps
D Parris 138.4 108.4 106.8 116.4 106 107.2Kilometers
346 271 267 274 265 268Laps
I Davis 168 119.2 90 116.4 72 98.8Kilometers
420 298 225 291 180 247Laps
G Watts 131.2 96.4 99.2 104.4 92.8 133.6Kilometers
328 241 248 261 232 334Laps
C Young 142 91.2 90 97.6 88 92Kilometers
355 228 225 244 220 230Laps
D Kettle 138.2 86.8 90.8 95.2 94.4 84.8Kilometers
332 217 227 238 236 212Laps
R Hill 128 80.8 99.2 70 95.6 96.4Kilometers
320 202 248 175 239 241Laps
K Fisher 164 91.6 50 115.2 49.6 81.2Kilometers
410 229 125 288 124 203Laps
G Pollard 120 74.8 73.6 68.4 69.6 61.2Kilometers
300 187 184 171 174 153Laps
The above group came in for massage and stretching
The group below did not or had their own massage people
T Rafferty 141.6 112.8 104.8 101.6 98 96.4Kilometers
354 282 262 254 254 245Laps
G McConnell 145.6 110.8 114.8 113.6 108.4 106Kilometers
364 277 287 284 271 265Laps
G Audley 152.8 110.8 126.4 113.6 114.8 95.2Kilometers
382 277 316 284 287 238Laps
S Scanlon 140.8 82 84 34 0 0Kilometers
352 205 210 85Pulled out (Blisters)
J Timms 127.2 98.4 74.8 0 0 0Kilometers
318 246 187Pulled out 0Laps
N Mercer 166 16.4 0 0 0 0Kilometers
415 16.4Pulled out 0 0Laps
Underlining in the top group shows where the results of Gentle Manual Muscle Relaxation
was starting to take effect. The inconsistencies in the results on a daily basis was
caused by reverting back to conventional massage to see what happened
Note the higher injury and drop out rate in the bottom group.
The above figures show what a leg service using the calf muscle pump can do for recovering the
legs-they are from the 1995 Colac (Australia) 6 day event-and show on a daily basis (Across the
page) the increase that was obtained using Light Manual Muscle Relaxation
More importantly it demonstrates the decrease in time needed for recovery when
increased fresh blood flow is obtained by working with the muscles not on them
8
Copyright Michael Gillan Long Distance Recovery Specialist
http://aching-legs-relief.com
Self Service Recovery-the Calf Muscle Pump-Running Recovery using Light Manual Muscle
Relaxation
Light Manual Muscle Relaxation the Massage-Lite Pump Servicing System
A little help and a circuit breaker being applied to get out of the cycle of tiredness, and fatigue
brought on by tight tense muscles-you can service them as you would your car- a muscle service a
change of blood and rest
Active Servicing means taking a pro-active role in helping the calf muscles to
work the pump at moving the fluid up the legs
The faster the legs receive help during or after they are fatigued, the faster they recover but it is
important they get it as soon as possible before soreness and stiffness limits what can be done with
them
All that is needed for self-service recovery and leg maintenance are
the hands
9
Copyright Michael Gillan Long Distance Recovery Specialist
http://aching-legs-relief.com
Self Service Recovery-the Calf Muscle Pump-Running Recovery using Light Manual Muscle
Relaxation
Light Manual Muscle Relaxation-A Tested Trusted Environmentally
Friendly Alternative-for aching legs relief when working longer than
anticipated, anything else is a luxury or not necessary
Incorporate Light Manual Muscle Relaxation into your leg care plan
Ultra marathon is very long distance competition where they have to run or walk as far as possible
in a given time; it can be over 6 hours-24 hours-48 hours-6 days-16 days or even around the world
www.worldrun.org
It is basically making the calf muscle pump work again to take some of the pressure away from the
lower legs and let fresh blood into the muscle tissues to help the legs recover
10
Copyright Michael Gillan Long Distance Recovery Specialist
http://aching-legs-relief.com
Self Service Recovery-the Calf Muscle Pump-Running Recovery using Light Manual Muscle
Relaxation
How Light Manual Muscle Relaxation leg servicing works
Calf muscle fatigue, tight muscles, and poor lower leg circulation can chase each other around in a
cycle that is difficult to break out from-each is a self destructive part that props up the other parts of
the cycle and it will take a circuit breaker to disrupt the cycle of fatigue
Medically caused leg health should be referred to those best qualified to deal with it-the doctors, but
there are non-medically related problems that can be dealt with by some simple activities
Such as knowledge about how the calf muscle pump works and using it to the
best advantage
11
Copyright Michael Gillan Long Distance Recovery Specialist
http://aching-legs-relief.com
Self Service Recovery-the Calf Muscle Pump-Running Recovery using Light Manual Muscle
Relaxation
I have been involved in ultra for many years as a recovery person from the time I was a massage
student way back in 1993 up until the present day I am still involved in ultra marathon (see my
website www.aching-legs-relief.com for a full list of events I have attended)
These range from 12 hour to 24 hour to 6 days, to 1000 miles to around the world run with Jesper
Olsen on part of his Australian leg (see www.worldrun.org)
• Disrobing-in the cold is not good for the runner/walker and in some circumstances may
lead to hypothermia
Time is spent not only disrobing but also putting the clothes back on
• Cold-cold muscles means that they have to warm up again before they can reach
maximum efficiency and power otherwise injuries can happen
• Oil used-oil used on the legs can act as a magnifying glass during hot days, leading to
burnt skin-and it attracts cold into the muscles on cold days-it also attracts road dust which
is difficult to remove, and when the recovery session is being performed, it forms an
abrasive paste which carries bacteria and can force it into the skin
12
Copyright Michael Gillan Long Distance Recovery Specialist
http://aching-legs-relief.com
Self Service Recovery-the Calf Muscle Pump-Running Recovery using Light Manual Muscle
Relaxation
My working area at the 2007 Montreal World Distance Championships
(the chair near the bottles was my home and working area for 24 hours)
When you refer to medical physiology and use it to work for you, it
is possible to achieve things that were previously left to chance-a
faster recovery is one of them
Contact mgillan@hotmail.com
http://www.aching-legs-relief.com/
13
Copyright Michael Gillan Long Distance Recovery Specialist
http://aching-legs-relief.com
Self Service Recovery-the Calf Muscle Pump-Running Recovery using Light Manual Muscle
Relaxation
Some References
Michael’s methods of massage and blister care helped me to stay mobile throughout the race and to
recover quickly afterwards. His techniques are safe and gentle.
Unlike some treatments, which put the runners and walkers at risk of muscle tears or infection,
Michael’s techniques are gentle, safe, reassuring, and highly effective. They enhance comfort and
flexibility, build confidence, and promote success.
This booklet will help others to learn and practice Michael’s methods. It is recommended reading
for everyone who walks and runs and who wants to go further, go faster, or just to enjoy life more!!'
SANDRA BROWN 1996 Ladies 1000 Mile World Record Holder
1999 Ladies 100 mile Race walking World Record Holder
“I know that your massage kept a number of competitor<>s in the event. The cold weather of
Saturday afternoon and night certainly got to many of the walkers and your prompt action had them
back in the race after a short stop.
In years past, that would have ended up as a non-finish. A number of walkers were able to keep
going for the full 24 hours on the basis of your expert help.”
Tim Ericson Secretary Australian Centurions Club
'I have known Michael Gillan for many years and have always got quick relief for my aches and
pains from the stretching he performs'.
CLIFF YOUNG-75-80 24 Hour World Record Holder (150.07 kilometers)
A word from Jesper Olsen World Runner about Light Manual Muscle Relaxation
“If I hadn't had the qualified help from the excellent masseur Michael Gillan, taking several
thousands of km out of my legs, I could spare myself the effort!”
“My crew for the current stages, Michael Gillan, has proven to have other talents than the quite
taxing job of taking care of all the requirements of a really tired ultra runner!
He has since years back been working on a new approach to stretching and muscle-rebuilding for
ultra runners. I have the last two days tried his careful stretch and massage, and a bit to my surprise
the muscles are beginning to feel like before the start back in Greenwich, London!!
Usually I doesn’t take massage as the legs of an ultra runner will often be quite sore during the long
time events (and especially in an multi-year event like this...), and getting a massage can at times
cause more injury and cramping up than good. For example my last massage was some 12 000km
ago when I ran the 12-hour competition in Finland. And so far that has been the only one.
But Gillan came with best recommendations from my main contact in Australia, Phil Essam, who
besides being vice president in the Australian Ultra runners Association has heaps of good
knowledge to share. And this new kind of mild massage for ultra runners is definitely one of the
good tips! There should be a fair chance that I actually get fresh enough to do some decent running
at the 6 Day Race that I have coming up in Colac from the 21.November. I quite look forward to
that, even though I can’t expect to make a top class result :-)”
He won! 756.2 kilometers (Jesper holds the record for the longest run in history over 26000
kilometers and the first person to run around the world Taken from www.worldrun.org
14
Copyright Michael Gillan Long Distance Recovery Specialist
http://aching-legs-relief.com
Self Service Recovery-the Calf Muscle Pump-Running Recovery using Light Manual Muscle
Relaxation
Some references for Light Manual Muscle Relaxation
To: mgillan@hotmail.com
Subject: RE: Emailing: m gillan reference.doc
Date: Mon, 4 May 2009 16:48:31 +1000
Hi Michael,
COBURG 24 HOUR CARNIVAL
May 3rd
2009
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN
For many years Coburg Harriers has conducted the Victorian 24 hour Track Championship
and the Australian Centurion 24 Hour Race Walk, the overall event being the Coburg 24
Hour Carnival, which also includes a separate 6 Hour run/walk event.
This type of event is very demanding on Competitors, and each year, in addition to First
Aid support, we seek to have the services of a masseur who can work on tired legs and
also treat blisters in order to keep entrants on the track.
We have been privileged for many years to have had the voluntary services of Michael
Gillan who with his techniques is able to coax renewed life from extremely tired muscles
and legs to get athletes back on the track when they were thinking that they would have
to retire.
Michael has a very well deserved reputation in the "Ultra" running and walking fraternity
who look forward to his presence at our events as they know he gets results without
causing further injury with his treatments.
It is rewarding to see exhausted competitors come from the track in the early hours of the
morning, convinced that they are unable to continue, only to see them return to the event
after being treated by Michael.
Our Organising Committee at Coburg is grateful to Michael for his dedication to the sport
and can commend his techniques to Athletes.
Yours Sincerely, Bernie Goggin Raceday Director / Referee Coburg 24 Hour Carnival
2009
http://www.coburgharriers.org.au/joomla1/component/option,com_frontpage/Itemid,1/
15
Copyright Michael Gillan Long Distance Recovery Specialist
http://aching-legs-relief.com
Self Service Recovery-the Calf Muscle Pump-Running Recovery using Light Manual Muscle
Relaxation
Physiology References
(p.209)Physiology: a regulatory systems approach. Fleur L. Strand. Macmillan Publishing Co. Inc.ISBN 0-
020979860-4
You can buy an expensive book on medical physiology or you can check up for further
information on Light Manual Muscle Relaxation at
http://www.aching-legs-relief.com/
16
Copyright Michael Gillan Long Distance Recovery Specialist
http://aching-legs-relief.com
Self Service Recovery-the Calf Muscle Pump-Running Recovery using Light Manual Muscle
Relaxation
17
Copyright Michael Gillan Long Distance Recovery Specialist
http://aching-legs-relief.com