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Legs elevated after running: nonsense or not?

  • 07-07-2010 11:50pm
    #1
    earnyourturns
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 298 ✭✭


    So last weekend a yoga teacher told me that after a long run you should lie on the ground with your legs against a wall/door etc for ten minutes "to speed up the lactic acid draining out of them".

    Now while I am perfectly amenable to the idea of lying on the floor after a long run I'm just not sure about the science behind this. I mean, where does the lactic acid drain TO? Not sure that gravity really helps with that. I would have thought it was more a biochemical thing.

    Or maybe I'm completely wrong about this. Opinions, anyone?


Comments

  • #2
    iceage
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,533 ✭✭✭iceage


    Works for me in a tepid/warm bath after a run :) but then I'm just Weird!;)


  • #3
    TFBubendorfer
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,340 ✭✭✭TFBubendorfer


    earnyourturns wrote: »
    So last weekend a yoga teacher told me that after a long run you should lie on the ground with your legs against a wall/door etc for ten minutes "to speed up the lactic acid draining out of them".

    Now while I am perfectly amenable to the idea of lying on the floor after a long run I'm just not sure about the science behind this. I mean, where does the lactic acid drain TO? Not sure that gravity really helps with that. I would have thought it was more a biochemical thing.

    Or maybe I'm completely wrong about this. Opinions, anyone?

    The science behind it is total nonsense:

    1) Lactic acid does not cause soreness
    2) Elevating your legs does not clear lactic acid any quicker
    3) Any trace of lactic acid will be gone from you muscles within a couple of hours, no matter what you do


  • #4
    Tipsygypsy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 413 ✭✭Tipsygypsy


    Yep, its nothing to do with Lactic acid. Maybe she meant 'to speed up lymphatic fluid draining out of them'? She might be trying to help with lymphatic drainage if you get swelling or inflamation? Lymph carries excess fluid and waste (which can cause swelling and inflamation) away and drains into your lymph nodes, it isnt pumped like your blood though, it relies on the contraction of your muscles to sort of push it along, can be helped by massage and gravity, the lymph nodes in your legs are behind your knees and in the groin. So elevating your legs will assist with this.


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