| Many habitual exercisers and athletes experience | | | | not hard to learn. After deciding what area of the |
| some sort of pain throughout their active life due | | | | body you want to work, position yourself so that |
| to tight muscles, restriction of movement or | | | | the foam roller is sandwiched between that |
| aggravating injuries. My first recommendation to | | | | muscle group and the floor. You then use your |
| avoid falling into this circle is to put yourself on a | | | | body weight to apply pressure by rolling back and |
| daily dose of Z Health R-Phase Joint Mobility. | | | | forth until you find a trigger point or "hot spot" |
| However, if you are practicing this on a regular | | | | that feels tender. Do not roll over this point. |
| basis and you still feel like more flexibility is | | | | Instead, hold that position until the pain diminishes |
| needed or certain areas of your body need | | | | (usually around 20-30 seconds). |
| constant massaging to help loosen up, try using a | | | | If you are new to rolling, go a bit lighter by |
| foam roller. While most of us try to "stretch out | | | | offsetting the tension and putting more weight on |
| the pain" with passive lengthening, the roller is a | | | | your hands and feet instead of the target area. |
| much more efficient and effective way of | | | | As you feel more accustomed to the discomfort, |
| targeting the muscle group without fear of | | | | gradually increase the pressure. |
| pushing the limits and straining the fibers to the | | | | When working the whole body, start from the |
| point of tearing. | | | | midline (back, hip flexors and glutes) and work |
| How does foam rolling work? | | | | your way out (quads, hamstrings calves). Break |
| Just below our skin there is a dense connective | | | | down muscle groups into smaller areas so that |
| tissue called superficial fascia that covers the | | | | you can concentrate on releasing the muscle bit |
| entire body. "Often perceived as a thin sheet, | | | | by bit. For example, runners will probably find that |
| superficial fascia is actually a special layering filled | | | | the IT band is loaded with tenderness. Start at |
| with adipose tissue, nerves, blood and lymph | | | | the origin, the iliac crest of your hip, and work |
| vessels, and connective tissue."(1). Together, our | | | | your way down the outside of your leg to its |
| muscles and fascia make up what is called the | | | | insertion near the knee. Remember to hold your |
| myofascia system. Whether extreme athlete or | | | | position on the hot spots. |
| couch potato, stresses such as inflammation, | | | | My own experience with foam rollers started |
| injuries and postural problems can cause the | | | | about eight years ago during my long distance |
| muscles and fascia to "stick" to one another and | | | | running days (these days, anything over a |
| form adhesions and trigger points, making normal | | | | two-minute sprint is long distance.) My back, glutes |
| movement restricted and painful. | | | | and iliotibial bands were very tight and knotted up, |
| Self-myofascial release (SMR) on a $10 foam | | | | making my runs very difficult to get through |
| roller is one of the least expensive and most | | | | without pain. I felt imbalances in my gait creeping |
| effective ways to help restore lost function by | | | | up which eventually led to worse joint pain. After |
| breaking down these adhesions and scar tissue | | | | spending roughly 10-15 minutes a day for a week |
| while also increasing the length of the muscle | | | | on the roller, the trigger points in my IT bands |
| tissue. The mechanism lies in the response of the | | | | and quadriceps were almost gone and my stride |
| GTO or Golgi Tendon Organ. The GTO is a | | | | gradually returned to normal. Trust me when I |
| proprioceptive sensory receptor organ that is | | | | say, this is not a comfortable walk in the park |
| located at the insertion of skeletal fibers into the | | | | (especially on the IT bands). Their will be moaning |
| tendons of skeletal muscle. It is highly sensitive to | | | | and grimacing but if you persevere through the |
| changes in muscle tension and provides feedback | | | | pain, you will begin to feel relief and experience |
| to the muscle when stressed (either under strain | | | | results faster than with regular stretching. |
| or during lengthening). In other words, when a | | | | Foam rollers can be purchased at Perform Better |
| foam roller is used properly, the GTO is placed | | | | for less than $10. I have used the Bio-Foam Roller |
| under tension and tells the muscle to relax, thus | | | | (the least expensive one) for years without |
| preventing injury (muscle strains), breaking down | | | | problem of breakdown. If you are a tall or large |
| adhesions and allowing a greater range of | | | | person, splurge and get the 3 footer but for most |
| flexibility. | | | | people, the 1-foot length should suffice. Good luck |
| Tips for using the foam roller: | | | | and happy rolling! |
| Although not the most comfortable way to | | | | 1. Biel, Andrew (2005). Trail Guide to the Body. 3rd |
| release muscle tension, SMR on the foam roller is | | | | Edition (pg. 24) Books of Discovery. |