Foam Rolling Why and How?
The foam roller is made from a variety of materials and come in different sizes, textures and densities. Some are soft and smooth; others are hard and dimpled, some vibrating. You need to find the right roller for you, however we generally recommend a soft smooth roller.
Use of the bodyweight to apply pressure to target areas, typically softer muscle and/or connective tissues (soft tissues). Using a rolling action, the foam roller applies a massage-like effect to the soft tissue area to create a releasing mechanism (self-myofascial release – SMR for short).
The aim is to apply a similar effect to the soft tissues as myofascial release, which is usually applied by a trained therapist (e.g. sports massage therapist, physiotherapist or osteopath). It offers a way to self treat at home at a time pre\post activity, tacking tackling niggles, aches and pains before they become more acute issues.
Soft tissue dysfunction
Modern life can often conflict with how our bodies are supposed to function and the net result is dysfunction.
Long periods of immobility and inactivity (e.g. sitting), intense physical training (e.g. weight training, aerobic endurance exercise), overly repetitive joint movements (e.g. lifting/carrying a child, bag or other object in the same way), and/or occupational movements that are overly repetitive (e.g. typing, lifting, stooping), can all cause binding between the muscle and fascia creating fibrous knots known as adhesions. These adhesions present in the muscle as tight, tender points which cause mild pain and discomfort when pressure is applied.
Self-myofascial release applies direct pressure to the site of the trigger point/adhesion, causing it to disperse, breakdown and remodel in a similar way to the effects of sports massage and myofascial release.
Benefits of foam rolling
There are numerous benefits of foam rolling:
• Improving water/nutrient transfer through muscles – foam rolling causes pressure changes in the muscle tissues which can help with the transfer of water and nutrients through the muscles. When the roller is applied, pressure increases, when it is removed it reduces. The rolling motion also causes pressure to increase and decrease in different areas of the muscle, helping to transfer water and nutrients through the tissue. Moving water is symbolic to life, stagnant water equates to toxicity and poison.
• Makes blood vessels more elastic – aside from improving the pliability and elasticity of the muscles and fascia, the above pressure changes may also help to make the blood vessels (arteries and veins) more elastic. Blood vessels, especially arteries, have elastic properties in their walls and this helps them dilate/widen when the blood flow needs to increase. Evidence suggests that applying and removing pressure to the muscle may also cause the pressure in the blood vessels in that area to also increase and decrease.
• Switching on inactive muscles – foam rolling can be an effective way of creating sensations which make the brain and nervous system more aware of muscles which have been switched off because they are no longer used. Motor amnesia often occurs in muscles that are underused and consequently we temporarily lose the ability to use them. Compensatory movements usually follow, muscles are activated which should not be activated, and dysfunction and pain are never far away. By rolling muscles that are underutilised (e.g. deep gluteal muscles), especially if we can also teach the body through movement how to engage them again, it’s possible to reawaken these muscles and return the body to its former glory.
• Whole-body pliability – foam rolling doesn’t just affect muscles and fascia, as suggested above, it also exerts its effects on nerves, blood vessels and the skin, helping to make these more pliable.
Where should you foam roll?
Not all muscles need to be foam rolled equally. To get the best results, release work should meet your individual needs.
Target areas for foam rolling can be identified in several ways:
• Palpation – using the fingers to feel for adhesions and trigger points
• Areas of tenderness found while foam rolling
• Historical areas of tenderness such as the upper back in desk workers
• Movement screens, e.g. overhead squat to identify tight muscles
• Activity-specific – foam roll agonists and antagonists prior to activity, e.g. quadriceps and hamstrings prior to squatting
• Areas of known tightness (e.g. hamstrings)
• Areas of previous injury and dysfunction – remember pain can be referred and so where it is sore may not always be where the adhesion/trigger point is
• Once the target areas are identified, you should perform a light general warm up before foam rolling as SMR on cold muscles can lead to further injury/dysfunction
How to use the foam roller?
To use a foam roll properly, you should lie on the roller so that it is between the target muscle/tissue and the ground. You should then roll up and down the target muscle/area using moderate pressure in an exploratory fashion (slowly), seeking out any adhesions and trigger points. Start out with mild pressure and gradually allow the roller to go deeper with each roll.
For large, wide muscles, such as the quadriceps, it may be necessary to move medially or laterally also (inside and outside) to ensure that the entire muscle is affected.
If any trigger points are found, (they normally present with localised tenderness and/or pain), roll firmly on that spot for 30-60 seconds, or until the tension and pain subsides. It is normal for the pain to ease gradually, although in particularly sensitive areas, it may take a few sessions.
If an area is too painful to roll directly, pressure can be reduced by adjusting the body position, or using the arms or legs for more support. In the case of very tender areas, rolling should only be performed on the surrounding areas and gradually introduced to the painful area over a number of sessions. This helps to build a tolerance.
Generally speaking, body position should be supported with the arms and/or legs to enable the amount of pressure that is applied to be carefully controlled. This position should then be changed in order to reveal the target area/tissues to be rolled. By changing body position in this way, it is possible to foam roll almost every major muscle group and fascial sling in the body, although some are much easier to reach than others.
Foam rolling provides an accessible and cost-effective alternative to hands-on massage treatments and can be performed almost anywhere and anytime without the need for a sports massage therapist.
Foam rolling exercises
There are dozens of foam rolling exercises to try we have a few Video’s on our Youtube channel or ask about our move stetch release classes.
Considerations for safe and effective foam rolling
Foam rolling can have a profound effect on muscles and other connective tissue, users of foam rollers should observe the following:
• Never roll over bony prominences – bones can be mistaken for adhesions but repeated rolling could result in inflammation of the periosteum
• Avoid rolling over joints – rolling joints can cause inflammation of the tendons and ligaments around the articulation. Also, avoid hyperextension of unsupported joints
• Avoid rolling the lower back – hyperextension of the lumbar spine can be injurious although rolling the thoracic spine can provide relief from upper back pain and poor posture. The neck should also be avoided
• Increase the intensity and duration of foam rolling gradually to avoid post-treatment soreness or bruising. Foam rolling can be uncomfortable but should never be extremely painful
• Individuals performing SMR should endeavour to remain relaxed and avoid holding their breath to maximise the effectiveness of their treatment
• Users should understand that it may take several sessions of SMR to free stubborn adhesions and that overworking an area can result in severe muscle soreness and even bruising although mild soreness is not uncommon
• Avoid rolling areas that are still sore from a previous SMR session – wait a day before repeating
Once you have finished foam rolling, the muscles should feel worked but not overly fatigued and range of movement of the associated joint(s) should increase.
Foam rolling can take as little as ten minutes a day but that adds up to a 70-minute massage each and every week
