The Ins and Outs of Foam Rolling

Foam rolling is something many people hear about or see other people doing, but many do not realize the benefits that it has when done correctly.  This technique for muscle relaxation is not a new “fad”. In fact, athletes, coaches, physical therapists, chiropractors, and many other fitness enthusiasts have been using foam rollers for decades. But now, this recovery method has really started to show up in mainstream gyms and personal training.

What to Know About Trigger Points and Tightness

Anyone that has been to a physical therapist, acupuncturist or chiropractor may have heard of trigger points and muscle release as therapies to help with muscle tightness. The foam roller allows you to get this muscle tightness under control yourself by putting pressure on trigger points, the muscle locations that cause tightness and pain, as well as help recovery post-workout.

Often times, people refer to trigger points as knots. When they knots have pressure applied, pain will often move to other locations of the body. For instance, it is not uncommon to have a knot in the shoulder area that causes pain in the neck or a knot in the back that causes pain down the leg.

Foam rolling often gets a bad reputation because when you work on these trigger points with a foam roller, it can be painful. The pain should be uncomfortable but not something that you cannot handle. However, the benefit comes when you are done. The pain should be dramatically better and the muscles loose once you have rolled.

Muscle tightness and knots can happen for many reasons. Sometimes it is related to muscle training like lifting weights because you are putting your body under a lot of strain. Other things like inflexibility, poor posture, repetitive movements, lack of movement like sitting at a desk all day, nutrition and hydration habits, stress and sleep can all cause problems for muscles. Our bodies are made to compensate for what we are putting them through, but that does not mean that we are able to recover quickly.

What Foam Rolling Can Do For You

Foam rolling is self-massage. When muscles are knotted or tight, tiny areas of scar tissue form in the muscle layers. When muscles are in healthy, normal working states, they are soft, supple, and pliable. But, when we put them under stress, they tighten up and cause tears and hard spots in the tissues. The pressure of massage and foam rolling allows these hard spots to break up and elongate the muscle back to a normal, healthy state. Our bodies can recover on their own, but sometimes they need a little help to get the job done.

Proper Foam Rolling Technique

As with any exercise, technique is important to protect the body from harm.

·       You want to remember to apply light to medium pressure. It should be uncomfortable, but not unbearable. This pressure is applied to specific muscles or groups using your own bodyweight.

·       Roll slowly to allow the muscle the ability to lengthen. Think of rolling out dough. Pain should subside within no longer than 30 seconds.

·       When areas are painful, relax as much as possible to fully allow the muscle to get the blood flow it needs. Tightening up counteracts the rolling process.

·       Wait a day or two before rolling the same area again.

Sources: www.breakingmuscle.com