The best way to address troublesome muscle pain is direct pressure. Think: massage. But, who can afford a sports massage before and after every workout? Not I! So what is the next best thing? A foam roller. My trainer has suggested I tell our clients to use them before and after all workouts. I wanted to do a little more research on the topic and see why they were so great. Turns out it is a very cheap and effective way to prevent injuries and relieve muscle soreness. Here are some key point to remember when using a foam roller. (I found the following information on runner's world - link provided at bottom).
Key Points for Specific Foam Roller Exercises
1. Roll back and forth across the painful or stiff area for 60 seconds.
2. Spend extra time directly over the knot or trigger point itself.
3. Roll the injured area two to three time a day. For prevention of injuries, two to three times a week is recommended.
4. Avoid rolling over bony areas.
5. Always stretch the area following foam rolling.
Lie sideways with the foam roller under the side of your thigh. Roll between your knee and your hip bone. Spend extra time on the more tender areas you encounter. Use your top leg and foot against the ground to decrease the force if you cannot tolerate the pressure initially. After a few days of rolling, your IT Band will loosen up and you should be able to tolerate full pressure (feet together off the ground).
Start with both of your thighs on the roller at the same time. Roll back and forth from your knees to hips. To increase the pressure, lift one thigh off the roller. This doubles the force.
Lie on your back on the foam roller. Cross your arms across the front of your chest and exhale deeply as you roll the middle of your back against the roller. This is a great stretch for your chest early in the morning before a run.
LINK
The SCIENCE behind it, for all you science nerds that need to know the 'why'.
"Foam rolling is a self-
myofascial release (SMR) technique that is used by athletes and physical therapists to inhibit overactive muscles. This form of stretching utilizes the concept of autogenic inhibition to improve soft tissue extensibility, thus relaxing the muscle and allowing the activation of the antagonist muscle.
[1]
This technique can be effective for many muscles, including:
gastrocnemius,
latissimus dorsi,
piriformis,
adductors,
quadriceps,
hamstrings,
hip flexors, thoracic spine (
trapezius and
rhomboids), and
TFL.
[2] It is accomplished by rolling the foam roller under each muscle group until a tender area is found, and maintaining pressure on the tender area for 30–60 seconds."
LINK
"How It Works
The superficial fascia is a soft connective tissue located just below the skin. It wraps and connects the muscles, bones, nerves and blood vessels of the body. Together, muscle and fascia make up what is called the myofascia system. For various reasons including disuse, not enough stretching, or injuries, the fascia and the underlying muscle tissue can become stuck together. This is called an adhesion and it results in restricted muscle movement. It also causes pain, soreness and reduced
flexibility or range
of motion.Myofascial release is a body work technique in which a practitioner uses gentle, sustained pressure on the soft tissues while applying traction to the fascia. This technique results in softening and lengthening (release) of the fascia and breaking down scar tissue or adhesions between skin, muscles and bones.Myofascial release has also been shown to relieve various muscle and joint pains such as
IT band syndrome and
shin splints as well as improving
flexibility and range of motion.
Foam rollers are inexpensive and with a bit of experimentation you can target just about any muscle group. The latest style of foam roller,
the Grid Foam Roller, has a unique design and construction that provides a more targeted trigger point self massage."
LINK
So there you have it. The what, why and how of foam rollers. I ran out to Wally world immediately and picked one up for less than $20. I am going to begin incorporating it in my workouts this week and encourage you all to do the same.
Happy Training!!
- Whitt
