Whether you have personally used one or not, you have probably seen a foam roller at some point in your life. They are in most gyms and common in rehab facilities, but a question I often get is, do they even work? The short answer is yes, but not in the way most people think.
Foam rollers, or the dozens of other tools used for mobility work, are often explained as literally rolling out muscle “knots” or “adhesions”, inferring that we are in some way physically ironing out or flattening our muscles with these tools. This isn’t really the case. Foam rollers can release muscle tension and increase mobility, but it’s a neurological response that gets us the results. Foam rollers and all of those other tools help us communicate with our bodies and send signals to our brain, which causes a physiological response in the body that will release an area of tension. It’s important that we check in with our bodies regularly, and a foam roller is a great way to do that. I personally keep mine in the living room and use it daily, even if it's only for 5-10 minutes. Now, let’s talk about some guidelines. First, we want to stay off of any bony areas. You want to be in the meaty areas of the muscles. I.e, stay away from elbows, knees, rolling directly on the spine, etc. Next, more isn’t always better. Remember we are not trying to physically crush those “knots” in our muscles, that’s a misconception that has led to using more force than our bodies can handle. We only need to use enough pressure to elicit a response from our nervous system. This means we should be able to breathe throughout the practice. If you find yourself holding your breath and bearing down, you are using too much pressure. You want to get close to that line, but not cross it. The goal should be to improve to the point that this process is not painful. Tissue should not be painful with moderate compression. If you work consistently over time, you should be able to achieve this. Finally, I want to emphasize that using a foam roller is not the be all and end all of self care for muscular health. Does foam rolling work? Yes. Can it help increase mobility and range of motion? Yes. Does it help decrease pain caused by muscular tension? Yes. Should it be the only self care practice used for improving or maintaining mobility, muscular tension and body health? Absolutely not. Foam rolling has its place in the selfcare world. It is a great introduction to self care because it can be done in small doses, give you great results, gives your body feedback, and help you build consistency, but it should be paired with other modalities. Active stretching and strength training should be incorporated to help reinforce the progress made with your foam roller. Once we gain that range of motion and mobility, we have to use it or lose it. Thanks for reading! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
1 Comment
11/16/2022 12:23:07 am
Should ago whether or local.
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