Is Foam Rolling For You? An Introduction

You probably have seen them at the gym, in yoga class, or perhaps a friend’s house. Many years ago they loosely resembled those colorful swimming pool noodles children use to float through the water with, and were mostly seen in hospitals, rehab centers, or even the chiropractors offices. But after many years of research and study, a couple of companies have innovatively reinvented these log shaped fitness devices, and the use of the foam roller (and its benefits) has gained significant momentum into the homes of thousands today!

A foam roller is cylindrical device made from dense foam. Originally, athletes used foam rollers to compress and massage very specific areas of muscle tension and pain. These areas, known as trigger points (or more commonly known as a knot) develop over time and must be untangled to recover muscle to its original length. A muscular knot is a muscle which is tangled-up in the fascia of our skin. Regular massage of trigger points sends signals to your brain to begin a process called myofascial release, which frees the muscles from your surrounding fascia.

The typical method of utilizing a foam roller utilizes body weight to apply pressure on the desired area, with the roller underneath the body, and rolling back and forth slowly until desired. Today, foam rollers are still widely used for their original intention but recent innovations of foam rollers have created other therapeutic uses as well, such as self massage, self Myofascial Release or SMR, static stretching, adding variation to workouts, and improving core strength and stability.

Though foam rolling is designed to be utilized for beneficial reasons, foam rolling is not for everyone. Before beginning any new fitness regimen, You must speak with your physician. Foam rollers can be used for many muscles of the body. Its normal to feel discomfort during foam rolling. This means you mostly likely have found a trigger point and are working it out. But only apply just as much pressure as you can tolerate. Other foam rolling tips include, avoiding joints while rolling and taking considerable more time rolling out the painful areas.

Using a foam roller is very simple, but might require getting used to if you’re just starting out. It will require some balance and a little core strength, but with a little practice, you’ll be rolling out those knots for sure!!

In addition, check out the my new blog about foam rolling and the myofascial release movement! I also have more blogs in the works, as I love fitness trends and equipment. More to come soon!