foamroller
 

You may have seen cylindrical pieces of foam standing up at the gym. Ever curious about what they were? They are called foam rollers, and the technique is called rolling- or self myofascial release. Applying pressure on the roller from a specific point on your body helps to work knots in your muscles, helping to ease the tension and relax the muscle. This works as a form of self massage.  Let’s explore the science behind rolling, common areas to roll and 6 need to know rolling tips!

 

 How does it work?

 

Fascia is a form of connective tissue that wraps and bundles muscles together. Knots, or myofascial adhesions, develop through stress, training, overuse, underuse, movement imbalances and injuries. They are essentially points of constant tension and addressing them can have a positive effect on your workouts.  They are unique and can be identified because they will refer pain. Pain referral can most easily be described as the pain felt when pressure is applied to one area of the body, but the pain is felt or radiated in another area. (3) Foam rolling can aid in recovery, get your muscles back to normal working function and can also help to resume normal blood flow.

 

How do I use the foam roller?

 

The objective of rolling is to help the area relax, and applying too much pressure can reflexively invite the opposite response. You can and should control the amount of pressure applied and steer clear of pain. Learning how to control the amount of pressure to a mild and tolerable discomfort is important. When introducing pressure to a sensitive area, you may experience a slight knee-jerk type reflex.

 

To foam roll properly, apply moderate pressure to a specific muscle or muscle group using the roller and your bodyweight. You should roll slowly to target the specific area of discomfort. When you find areas that are tight or painful, stop for several seconds and relax as much as possible. It’s key to find the area versus the exact spot due to the sensitivity or pain factor.  You should slowly start to feel the muscle releasing, and after 15-20 seconds the discomfort or pain should lessen. The lessening of the pain is a good sign to stop rolling and move to other points of discomfort. Don’t spend too much time in the same area. If after a few minutes or so of rolling without results, move on and try again in another 24-48 hours.  You don’t want to cause any injury to the tissue from overusing the roller. Remember, self-myofascial release provides you with the ability to control the healing and recovery process by applying pressure in precise locations, because only you can feel exactly what is happening. So, listen to your body!

 

Self myofascial release can be done both before a workout as part of a dynamic warm-up and as part of a cool down. As part of the warm-up, it should be the first thing done, before any stretching or cardio. Here, it serves to get the blood flowing the areas that maybe aren’t receiving as much blood flow and helps to reduce tension in muscles. As part of a cool down, the rolling helps to flush out blood that has pooled in the working muscles and allows fresh nutrients and oxygen to come in and begin the healing process. (2)

 

4 Common Muscles Foam Rollers are Used For:

 

  1. IT Band: Lie on your side with the roller near your hip, rest your other leg’s foot on the floor.  Extend your arms out in front of you, propping up your torso. Move along your outer thigh, pushing your body up and down so the roller continues to roll up and down your thigh. Increase pressure by stacking your legs.

 

  1. Hamstrings: Place the roller under your thighs. Hands will rest on floor behind you, fingers pointing away from body. Roll from the knees to the buttocks. To increase the pressure, roll one leg at time, turning your leg in and out.

 

  1. Glutes: Sit on the roller and place one foot on the opposite knee. Your hands will be braced on the ground behind the foam roller Lean into one buttock and roll forward and back, using your supporting leg to control the pressure.

 

  1. Calf: Put the roller under a calf while resting your other foot on the floor. Roll from the ankle to below the knee. Rotate the leg in, then out. Stack ankles to add pressure.

 

Things to know before getting started:

 

  • When you are first starting to roll, you may want to use a softer foam roller

 

  • Start by applying soft pressure and gradually work up to increasing the pressure

 

  • Never roll a joint or bone

 

  • Don’t roll the lower back- your spinal muscles will contract in order to protect the spine

 

  • You may be sore the next day. It should feel as if your muscles have been worked/released, however you should not push yourself to the point of excessive soreness

 

  • Drink plenty of water and get plenty of sleep

 

 

If you have additional questions on  how to use a foam roller or would like a demonstration, let us know. We would be happy to show you!

 

 

References:

  1. “Why You Should Be Foam Rolling”. Accessed 30, November 2015. American Council on Exercise. Acefitness.org. http://www.acefitness.org/acefit/healthy-living-article/59/3543/why-you-should-be-foam-rolling/
  2. “Foam Rolling: Total Body Benefits”. Accessed 30, November 2015. Muscle and Fitness. http://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/workout-tips/foam-rolling-total-body-benefits
  3. “What is a Foam Roller, How Do I Use It and Why Does It Hurt?” Accessed 30, November 2015. Breakingmuscle.com. http://breakingmuscle.com/mobility-recovery/what-is-a-foam-roller-how-do-i-use-it-and-why-does-it-hurt

 

Brent

Brent

President, Personal Training Manager at Body By Brent LLC
Brent
Brent
Brent