Foam Rolling

Rarely will you walking into a gym, training center or physical therapy office and not see a foam roller laying around somewhere. For such a simple piece of equipment, it actually is one of the best pieces of equipment in the gym.  Here's why . . .

Let's first talk about what foam rolling is doing for your body.  Basically, the goal is to get self-myofascial release (hang with me . . .).  The fascia is thin connective tissue that surrounds and supports your muscles.  This provides stability as well as keeps the muscles contained (scientifically speaking, it provides a cohesive direction for the line of pull of muscle groups).  Basically, in my non-nerdy way of explaining things, the fascia 'wraps' your muscles and keeps all the fibers as a unit and working in the same direction so they can do their job.  Normally, the fascia has the ability to stretch and move without restriction.  However, there are a number of factors that can cause the fascia to become tight and restricted, which can sometimes result in pain, limited range of motion, dysfunctional movement or injury.

The foam roller allows you to apply pressure, like a massage, to the fascia and underlying muscle which can help relieve tension by breaking up the tissue, making it more pliable which relieves tension and improves flexibility of the muscle.  (Or in sexy science talk, myofascial release realigns the elastic muscle and connective tissue fibers from a bundle, knot or adhesion into a straighter arrangement and resets the proprioceptive mechanisms of the soft tissue, thus reducing hypertonicity within the underlying muscles).  Basically, foam rolling is an effective technique to help to reduce the risk of athletic or training injuries, as well as help you to move and feel better.

For most people, especially first time “rollers”, foam rolling may be painful, or dare I say excruciating for some people on certain locations of the body.  Often (not always) the higher the degree of pain indicates the more of a need for foam rolling . . . so don’t be deterred by the pain.  Using the roller consistently over time will eventually get the pain to subside, at which point the goal of continued foam rolling will be simply for maintenance (and more enjoyable).

 

Self-myofascial release is simple.  Put the part of your body that you want to roll out on top of the roller and move back and forth over a 2-6 in. area for anywhere from 15 – 60 seconds.  If you find a “hot spot” (you’ll know what this is when you find it), you can stop and hold constant pressure on that point to try and release the area.  Keep in mind that your pain tolerance and the degree of tenderness may be a factor in how much pressure and time you spend on an area.

When to roll?

Before exercise:

Foam rolling prior to exercises is a great technique to add to your warm-up.  Don’t be too aggressive or use too much pressure if rolling for a warm-up.  Use this as an opportunity to check-in with the body and get some blood flowing. 

After exercise:

Foam rolling after exercise is a great way to facilitate faster recovery, as well as spend some time on hot spots that need more attention. 

During flexibility/mobility work:

If you are looking to increase your flexibility or are all about that yoga life, I recommend spending some time on the roller before you get your static stretching on because the roller will help the muscles become more receptive to the flexibility training, potentially leading to better adaptation.  

So, if you are looking for a simple and effective technique to improve your muscles range of motion, increase your performance, relieve muscle soreness and aid your body in recovery ... get rolling!