Managing Pain: TJP Blog

Posted:Wednesday, September 28, 2022

By Marshall Dahneke

Keeping the mind and body in sync and firing on all cylinders is essential, especially when running marathons … or performing daily massage … is part of life’s journey. One of the main challenges that can throw a wrench in any marathon or massage plan is PAIN. Pain sidelines even the most well-conditioned individual as it disrupts not only how the body moves and performs but also impacts mentality, mood, even motivation.

Pain is a helpful signal that tells our brain something is wrong and that we should visit a healthcare professional to diagnose and treat the underlying cause. Pretty straightforward, right? Yes … but it can be a little more complicated with my personal mission to support massage and honor my daughter by preparing to compete in the Boston Marathon. So, another eight months of treating nagging pain – and it will be well worth it! Especially with many of the world’s best healthcare professionals and tools at my disposal.

I work consistently (pre-race, post-race, and every chance I get) with my massage therapist, aka bodywork technician, to help my body recover, maintain optimal mobility, and reduce pain. As with many master bodywork technicians, my therapist often integrates professional products and tools into the session to enhance and extend the results and takes the time to educate me to use tools and self-care techniques in between visits.

A deeply respected massage therapy legend, Benny Vaughn, supports this approach and has become a primary resource for identifying the best tools to use in between visits to my regular therapist. Here is a quick list of some of the professional interventions I have learned from Benny:

  • Stopain Clinical Spray applied on top of SpiderTech Kinesiology Tape for my knees during training and races; This combination extends pain relief. (Tip: Stopain Clinical also has a unique topical for Migraine and Headache Relief)
  • Doctor Hoys Pain Relief Gel is great for recovery and my quads love it; combined with Arnica Boost, it helps with pain, inflammation, and bruising
  • HawkGrips (IASTM) combines nicely with topicals. I typically leave this therapy for the experts, but in a pinch I utilize the HawkGrips PRO to help alleviate adhesions

Many of the brands I prefer are exclusive to healthcare professionals and only available from a specialty supplier like Massage Warehouse (www.MassageWarehouse.com), another generous sponsor of The Jacquelyn Project and the Massage Therapy Foundation. Massage Warehouse is the largest and best source focused exclusively on supporting massage therapists by providing an extensive portfolio of supplies complemented by the latest industry trends and the newest products. Massage Warehouse offers a very knowledgeable and experienced support team, free access to massage treatment guides and popular massage topics, as well as a Price Match Guarantee. For me, Massage Warehouse is not just a “store” that sells massage products; they are a partner that supports the massage profession, helping make massage easier by providing the right products and support to enable therapists to focus on what they do best, improving their client’s well-being and health.

Visit The Jacquelyn Project’s home page for an overview of the project, sponsor highlights and a donation link.

Learn more about Stopain, proud Silver Sponsor of The Jacquelyn Project:

A message from Benny Vaughn, LMT, ATC: