The Baby Boomer Dancer-Aching Legs Relief-Michael Gillan ultra marathon recovery specialist

Baby Boomer Dancing and Aching Legs

Many baby boomers (or seniors) learned to dance when they were young-they usually like to continue
it as they advance in years-unfortunately the legs they used to dance on through the night on can now
only dance until early evening before they start to feel the effects that can also take longer to recover
from
If the legs are not enjoying the dance neither will the rest of your body because with unhappy legs
carrying it around movement will be slowed; protests from them will continued to be felt even after
you decide to rest them
Being a baby boomer and enjoying dancing myself, I can relate to aching legs from the dance floor and
much of the time my legs feel like long distance runners do

How a baby boomer can feel after an evening of dancing

Well not so severe but sometimes it feels like it!
Whether you go home with your partner or not aching legs and sore feet were not on your dance list but
you went home with them anyway
The legs can show they have had enough of being worked by feeling irritable and aching when the
owner finally stops to give them a rest
At night, they can prevent sleep by being 'restless' and need moving to find the most comfortable
position to sleep in-on getting up after sitting or lying down, difficulties in moving and walking
through stiffness and soreness may be experienced that may wear off slightly as the muscle warm up
The feet may throb and feel hot from both the inside and outside even after bathing and the shoes may
be difficult to put on both because the feet may be swollen

The ankles and feet have swollen, making the shoes tight; as they swell it makes the person walk a little
differently to the way they usually do; the extra stress on the muscles tightens them more
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 The Baby Boomer Dancer-Aching Legs Relief-Michael Gillan ultra marathon recovery specialist

Walking and standing on the legs for long periods can cause poor circulation and aching legs which can
affect dancing enjoyment
Hours on the feet dancing, tightens the leg muscles preventing them doing one of the jobs they need to
do; assist in pumping use blood and fluids up the legs back to the body.
Leg fatigue and Poor circulation
The muscles need a constant supply of fresh blood going in to the tissues, to keep this happening, used
blood has to be removed from the legs because if not, it acts as block and prevents the exchange
Muscles fatigue because the tissues are not receiving enough supplies of fresh blood to keep them
working properly-they can't recover and continue to do what they are supposed to be there for-to
provide us with mobility
Gravity and the weight of blood in the body

Water is subject to pressure-the deeper it is the more pressure there is at the bottom; on the surface the
swimmer feels none, but the deeper they go the more the pressure increases
Blood in the body is similar; in a standing person, the pressure at the head is almost non-existent, but at
the feet the lowest part of the body, the pressure and the weight of the blood in the veins is higher
The body is subject to 2 types of pressure down towards the feet
Pressure from the arteries-Forced Pressure

The arteries take fresh blood away from the heart under pressure to all parts of the body; including the
legs and feet; because the blood is being pumped through large arteries the pressure is high but as it
passes into smaller and smaller vessels the pressure reduces
By the time it reaches the feet, there is none left to return it back up the legs back to the body again
Pressure from the veins-Pressure of weight

The veins are the vessels whose job it is to take it back up the legs where it is re-nourished and the
heart sends it back out again-they have one-way valves in them which open to let the used blood pass
through them-and the flaps close to stop the blood from going back down towards the feet again
The Calf Muscle Pump
The way used blood gets back up the legs so that it can be replaced by fresh blood is by a special
system called the Calf Muscle Pump which is made up of the muscles in the legs-but the main power to
drive it all are the calf muscles
The calf muscle pump forces used blood against gravity through the veins up the legs back to the body
for recycling by alternately putting pressure on the venous system and releasing it
As the muscles squeeze, they open the one-way valves, letting blood pass through them; when the
tension is released, they close stopping the blood flowing back down towards the feet
Depleted blood is progressively moved from the lower legs back up to the body where it is re-
nourished with oxygen and nutrients and sent back out again to various parts of the body through the
arteries
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 The Baby Boomer Dancer-Aching Legs Relief-Michael Gillan ultra marathon recovery specialist

Muscle tightness prevents the system working properly by limiting the extent to which he muscles can
apply pressure and release it-it also limits the flexibility of the vein valves to open and close-reducing
the amount of used blood that can pass through them
First aid needed for leg muscles when they are fatigued
To assist the legs to recover when they are fatigued they need some form of first aid to empty the
depleted flood and lymph fluid out of the legs to make way for fresh blood to flood the muscle tissues
with oxygen
This can be done in either of 2 ways

Reversing the effects of gravity-the ‘passive’way

A way to change the pressure of gravity of course is to simply lie down with the legs elevated higher
than the body-this will let the fluid in the ankles flow back so the fresh blood can flood the muscle
tissues and help them to recover.
However this does not do anything towards relieving the legs of muscle tightness

Because it relies on gravity to do the work, the legs are just waiting for it to all happen for an
unspecified period time that could be spent doing something else-like dancing for instance
Not too many dancing venues have recovery bars where you can go and lie down for half an hour with
the legs elevated-and your partner is certainly not going to hang around waiting-they are going to be off
with another partner
Or you can relieve those legs the sneaky way while they go to the rest rooms (or you do) by taking
recovery into your own hands
Recover the Active Way!

Sneaky Leg Recovery for the Baby Boomer Dancer

Simply carry a length of string in the purse or pocket and use it to relieve the aching legs
This can be done using-Do It Yourself Recovery!

• Simplicity
• Predictability
• Consistency

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 The Baby Boomer Dancer-Aching Legs Relief-Michael Gillan ultra marathon recovery specialist
Using a system that is

• No disrobing
• No oil used
• Non invasive

• User friendly
• Easy to learn

This is applied using

The latest in non-technical, non-invasive 'cutting edge' solutions to fatigued aching legs relief-

Light Manual Muscle Relaxation

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 The Baby Boomer Dancer-Aching Legs Relief-Michael Gillan ultra marathon recovery specialist
What is Light Manual Muscle Relaxation?

It is a Do-It-Yourself method based on encouraging the muscles and tissues to

assist in their own recovery-it works with the muscles not on them

• It is not a massage system

• It is not invasive
• It is not aggressive

• It is not time consuming

• It does not need disrobing

• It does not need oil applied to the skin

• It does not need strong hands and fingers

• It does not need hand/brain coordination

• It does not need equipment

• It does not work on the muscles

• It does not work on any specific injuries

• It does not threaten the integrity of the muscles

• It does not use force on the muscles

• It does not need more than a few minutes to do

• It does not require a long course or workshop

It is a clean-green-recovery machine

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 The Baby Boomer Dancer-Aching Legs Relief-Michael Gillan ultra marathon recovery specialist
Below is a chart from when I discovered working with the muscles rather than on them
shows how much things did improve for the runners and walkers
Results from 1995 Coburg 6 day footrace

Name Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6

A Krouglikov 237.2 113.6 130 106 126 108 Kilometers
539 284 325 365 315 270 Laps

T Rusek 215.2 98.8 98 139.6 138.4 122.4 Kilometers

538 247 245 349 346 306 Laps

M T aylor 174.4 128.8 143.6 123.6 138.4 122.4 Kilometers

436 322 359 309 302 223 Laps

B Beauchamp 180.4 133.2 124 117.6 110 93.2 Kilometers

451 333 310 294 275 233 Laps

P Gray 150 134 105.2 94.8 111.6 106 Kilometers

375 335 263 237 279 265 Laps

D Parris 138.4 108.4 106.8 116.4 106 107.2 Kilometers

346 271 267 274 265 268 Laps

I Davis 168 119.2 90 116.4 106 107.2 Kilometers

420 298 225 291 180 247 Laps

G Watts 132.2 96.4 99.2 104.4 92.8 133.6 Kilometers

328 241 248 261 232 334 Laps

C Young 142 91.2 90 97.6 88 92 Kilometers

355 228 225 244 220 230 Laps

D Kettle 138.2 86.8 90.8 95.2 94.4 84.4 Kilometers

332 217 227 238 236 212 Laps

R H ill 128 80.8 99.2 70 95.6 96.6 Kilometers

320 202 248 175 239 241 Laps

K Fisher 164 91.6 50 115.2 49.6 81.2 Kilometers

410 229 125 288 124 203 Laps

G Pollard 120 74.8 73.6 68.4 69.6 61.2 Kilometers

300 187 184 171 174 153 Laps
The above group came in for Light Manual Muscle Relaxation
The below group did not or had their own recovery people
T Rafferty 141.6 112.8 104.8 101.6 98 96.4 Kilometers
354 282 262 254 245 241 Laps

G McConnel 145.6 110.8 126.4 113.6 108.4 106 kilometers

363 277 287 284 271 265 Laps

G Audley 152.8 110.8 126.4 113.6 114.8 95.2 kilometers

S Scanlon 140.8 82 84 34 0 0 Kilometers

352 205 210 85 pulled out-blisters Laps

J Timms 127.2 98.4 74.8 0 0 0 kilometers

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 The Baby Boomer Dancer-Aching Legs Relief-Michael Gillan ultra marathon recovery specialist
What they say about Light Manual Muscle Relaxation

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 light, 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 competitors 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-Ultra marathon runner

Books I have used in my research

Travell S.G. Simons D.G. Myofascial Pain & Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual Williams &
Williams 1983

Travell J. Rinzler S.H. The Myofascial Genesis of Pain Post Grad Med. 1952
Modern Treatment for Lymphoedema Casley-smith Judith & Casley-Smith J.R. 5th edition

Touching Montague Ashley Harper & Row

‘Guyton-Textbook of Medical Physiology eighth edition-1991 W.B. Saunders Company-ISBN 0-726-
3994-0

Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology-Seeley Stephens and Tate-Mosby Year Book ISBN 0-8016-
0227-0

‘Textbook of medical Physiology” (Physiology- fourth edition-Robert M. Berne, Mathew N. Levy,

Bruce M. Koeppen, Bruce A. Stanton-Mosby ISBN 0-8151-0952-0)

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 The Baby Boomer Dancer-Aching Legs Relief-Michael Gillan ultra marathon recovery specialist
Resource Box

Michael Gillan is an Ultra Marathon Recovery Specialist who has been a masseur around many ultra
long distance events both in Australia and internationally since he was a student in 1993

In 1995 while working at a 6 day run, he changed the approach to recovery of the athletes from the
conventional way of working on the muscles using the hands and fingers to increase muscle blood
circulation, to working with the muscles and making them work on themselves

The results from this changeover can be seen on the Coburg result sheet on page 5

In 1996 Michael went to the Nanango 1000 Mile 16 day event where it was tested and helped the
worlds 4-5 and 11th to achieve their distances

Other notable events the World Run Recovery System was tested on was World Run 1 with Jesper
Olsen www.worldrun.org and the World Run 2 training camp in Denmark in 2007

How can someone with aching legs benefit?

Because the muscles are being worked with they are actually doing the work-this means that the skills
needed to do the recovery after training and competition do not have to be as great or as complicated as
when they are being worked on
Nothing is being fixed nor is any attempt being made to repair anything

All that is happening is that the body is repairing itself-we are just facilitating it’s ability to do
that by increasing circulation to the muscles

Aching legs should always be checked out by a medical professional before doing anything to and with
them because there are many medical reasons why they may be aching-see a physician first

If you want more details on Light Manual Muscle Relaxation go to my website at

http://seniors.aching-legs-relief.com/dancing_tired_legs_recovery.html

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