Everybody agrees that massage feels great, but does it help prevent running injuries? Of course double-blind scientific studies are impossible to conduct on this matter. But there’s plenty of evidence that a good deep-tissue massage can increase blood flow, which should help remove waste products from an injured area.
On the preventative side, I’ll take the anecdotal observation that lots of elite runners get weekly massages as proof enough that it can help keep a running body healthy. If you can afford it, regular deep-tissue work can be part of your pre-hab program, where you do what you can to build your body’s immunity to injury.
Self-massages like the Stick or foam rollers are great for getting some of these benefits on your own. Some areas (calves and quads) are easier to tend to than others. (After almost 20 years of using one, I’ve yet to figure out how to use the Stick on my lower back without increasing muscular tension elsewhere.) It’s easy to overdo it with these things, so err on the side of caution—no more than 5 minutes on any one area. Apply pressure only to the point of a that’s-the-stuff sensation; leave the hurts-so-good sensation for a trained therapist to produce. Stop immediately if applying pressure in one area causes you to feel sensations elsewhere.