on many factors: the type, frequency and quality of the massage, if you have a specific problem and what you hope to gain from the treatment. Will a massage knock three minutes off your 10K PB next Sunday? Probably not. But neither will a single set of 800

Neck painTen neck massages over 10 weeks. Sound good? People with chronic neck pain reported a 55 per cent improvement after this regimen, according to a study in the Clinical Journal of Pain. They even scored 39 per cent better on the worst

Elite athletes have long sworn by rubdowns to aid recovery and help them feel fresh the day after intense training or a race. It's not likely that we need another reason to have a post-exercise massage, but researchers from Ohio State University

disrobed and lying beneath a sheet. A massage generally lasts between 30 and 90 minutes. Case study When Sophie Wright, 16, pulled out of a recent 400m race with a stiff, sore back after just 10 strides, she feared the worst. She’d thought back problems

that, unless you're running 80 miles a week or churning out sub-2:45 marathons, recovery doesn't really matter. The evidence certainly suggests otherwise. Sidestepping good recovery practice can leave you more susceptible to aches, pains, colds

, just like the finger-nail ones. They looked great all summer. See full threadBuy bigger shoesSuz - My second toenail is purple and about to fall off from my last pair of running shoes! I have just bought new shoes 1/2 size bigger and have had

, making massage a helpful remedy. Try 10 minutes of massage on alternate days for a week, and see how this affects your pain when running. As the symptoms are in both calves, the problem could also stem from your back – whether you have symptoms of back

Time not givenThe thing that kept me going - the thought of a swim, a steam and a massage on Monday!Also Paula Radcliffe's tip of counting to 100 backwards.  If it works for her..... although I got through a lot more 100's than she probably does

Need to save a sole in distress? Massaging your legs may soothe a sore plantar fascia - the band of tissue that runs along the sole of your foot. "The plantar shares an attachment site with your calf muscles in the calcaneus [heel] bone," explains

.Self-treatmentThis should include a heel raise of Sorbothane or foam, ensuring that heel tabs do not impinge upon your tendon when your toes are pointed (cutting the heel tabs off will certainly help, too). Applying ice in the form of a pack or massage and very gentle