Foam Rolling Can Help Keep You Injury Free

Foam Rolling Benefits Recovery and Reduces Pain

No one enjoys having tight muscles, it makes everyday tasks difficult, and you may not be enjoying the full benefit of your exercise routine. If you are noticing tight muscles, particularly after exercising, you might want to consider incorporating foam rolling into your warm-up or cool down. It is good for recovery and reducing pain after exercise, more information on how to foam roll below. 

What is foam rolling?

Foam rolling is essentially placing various body parts on top of the roller and using your own muscle power to roll it back and forwards. Foam rolling is a form of self-massage that helps soothe muscles. 

When the roller moves, pressure, and movement are distributed throughout your muscles and fascia. It massages the fascia, which is a connective tissue surrounding your muscles.

When your muscles are overworked, the fascia will often tighten, causing the tight sensation you feel after using or overworking your muscles. Foam rolling aims to loosen the fascia in the areas most affected by muscle tightness or injury.

Foam rolling also increases the blood flow to the areas you are targeting, providing relief from the stiffness caused by exercise by increasing the muscles’ access to oxygen and promoting waste management.

The key benefits of foam rolling include: 

• Easing muscle pain and tightness
• Increasing range of motion and flexibility
• Relaxation 

Best areas to target:

If you are experiencing muscle tightness, the best course of action is to speak with one of our physios who can guide you through a tailored foam rolling sequence. Usually, the most common muscles to be foam rolled are:

• Hamstrings 
• Quadriceps 
• Hips 
• Calves
• Upper and lower back 
• Iliotibial band – the outer side of your leg in between your hamstrings and quads

Although these are common areas to foam roll, you can roll just about any muscle in the body. When rolling out these muscles, make sure to sit on the floor and keep your legs out straight, this will ensure your weight is properly positioned over the muscle. Move your body weight onto the foam roller and slowly roll backwards and forwards.

If you feel any major pain or discomfort, it is important to consult with your physiotherapist. There is more information on the pain that can come alongside foam rolling below. 

Tips for Foam Rolling 

If you are noticing pain during foam rolling, it may not necessarily be a bad thing. Most likely you will experience some pain and discomfort with your foam roller exercises. Foam rolling applies pressure to and compresses the sore or stiff muscles, thus stimulating the pain receptors in your body. This pain can be indicative of how much you need to foam roll, as tighter muscles when foam rolled can be more painful; make sure you take it slow if the pain becomes too intense.

It is important, however, to avoid areas such as the knee and elbow, because if any excessive pressure is applied it may cause the area to hyperextend. When foam rolling your legs, remember that each muscle is linked to each other like a chain, so it is important to start with your calves and then move to your thighs, avoiding the knee. 

It is important to avoid foam rolling if you have a serious injury or muscle tear as it can exacerbate the injury. If you are worried you are not foam rolling correctly, speak with one of our physiotherapists. They can guide you through a foam rolling sequence specifically designed for you, to get you back on track to feeling great again. 

When Is The Best Time To Foam Roll?

Whatever form of exercise you are performing, whether you are playing a sport, going for a run, or about to go to the gym, foam rolling before and after is recommended. It is not only best to foam roll before exercise, but also after, as recovery is just as important as the injury prevention benefits offered when foam rolling pre-exercise.

It is best to stay on the sore part of a muscle for at least more than 10 seconds, less than will not have any apparent benefit. A short period of time doesn’t allow for the muscle or fascia to respond, so foam roll as long as your time permits you. 

Is Stretching Necessary If Performing Foam Rolling?

Foam rolling often works best when coupled with static stretching, ensuring full mobility of the muscle. Static Stretching is best not performed prior to gym exercises, running or sport, it reduces performance and how much output you can put out, as well as having no benefits for injury prevention. 

A more dynamic warm-up is best to perform before exercise of any sort. But this does not equate to you not needing to perform static stretching at all. Your muscles and fascia will respond best if you also add in static stretches after your exercise, run or sporting activity along with foam rolling.

What Else Can A Foam Roller Be Used For?

Foam rollers can also be used to mobilise your spinal joints. When arching backward over a roller, many of the small joints in your spine can be loosened. These joints most likely have become tight due to the many hours you have spent sitting at your desk, looking at your phone or bending over in the garden. Thoracic spine mobility is essential for good posture and for most sporting performances.

Another use of foam rollers is for balance exercises. Lying over a roller can provide an unstable base for a range of great core stability exercises. If performing core stability work consult with your City Physiotherapy Physio ensuring you are ready to give these a go or you can end up injuring yourself.

It is important to consult a professional if you are considering using a foam roller, and to check whether your body is okay with incorporating it into your routine. Here at City Physiotherapy, we are here to help you every step of the way and guide you through your recovery and journey to wellness. 

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