Foam Rolling Will Make You Whole Again

Photo Credit: crosathorian -  what I look like during my foam rolling sessions.

In my last article I briefly explained my experience with myofascial release therapy. I reckon we can call this article part deux, even though I didn’t plan it this way(I promise). As I mentioned what I am doing for my hip/psoas/glute rehabilitation in my previous article on MRT, this will cover what I am doing in the mean time a la foam rolling.

What is Foam Rolling?

Foam rolling is a form of Self-Myofascial Release Therapy(SMRT). The sole purpose of foam rolling is to break down adhesions and scar tissue that form on the soft tissues after repetitive use. What happens as a result of foam rolling can be compared to that of when you get a deep tissue massage, MRT or ART treatment. The only difference is that it’s not as enjoyable because it requires deliberate work as opposed to lying naked on a table allowing someone else do all of the work for you.

Foam rolling is also a lot less expensive than ART or frequent visits to the chiropractor. You also have the liberty to do it any time you want instead of waiting on an appointment. Many advocate doing it once per day and some even do it 2-3 times per day depending on their goals and/or severity of their condition.

So, Uh How Do I Do It?

Generally, you want to find a tender spot in the muscle. You slowly roll over the full length of the muscle a few times and this in itself will loosen you up fairly well. Find a sore spot and just rest there for a moment until the pain lessens, then finish rolling over the rest of the muscle. Repeat 2-3 times until the pain has diminished. I know, all of this explanation is useless without pictures. Eric Cressey did an awesome job illustrating exactly how to perform SMRT in the T-Nation article Feel Better for 10 Bucks. Read and apply it.

How does it work?

There’s a lot of scientific swearing that goes into explaining exactly how it works. I am not going to even attempt a detailed explanation for the sake of saving myself from looking like a big dummy. The main thing you need to know is that the Golgi Tendon Organ(GTO) causes the muscle being subjected to great amounts of stress/tension to relax, which then causes something really cool known as autogenic inhibition(protective reflex to excessive muscle tension) to occur. Whew, glad that is over with.

This is what’s happening during PNF stretching. When you flex the muscle you are working with, the GTO is stimulated which then causes your muscle to relax, enabling you to sink into a deeper stretch, which equals a better range of motion. If you have ever done any foam rolling or gotten a massage, this is why you are much more pliable afterward.

Benefits of Foam Rolling

• Increased range of motion(acute)
• Makes you feel better(afterward)
• Increased long term flexibility
• Ability to touch your toes
• Pain relief
• Injury prevention
• Improved strength

This list is practically endless…

Why You Should be Doing It

See the benefits above. Chances are you do a lot of sitting at your place of employment. If this is true, I am almost certain you probably have some flexibility issues and/or muscle imbalances caused by over use and lack of proper personal care(routine stretching, foam rolling, massage etc). You should also be foam rolling to get the most out of your training and recovery. Frequent foam rolling will also keep you from developing muscle imbalances like the lower cross syndrome I have developed from sitting in a chair all day and never doing any kind of corrective exercises(until this past month).

One thing you must remember: while foam rolling is not fun, it is so worth the agony. I am as guilty as everyone else by putting it on the back burner now and again. To put it bluntly, foam rolling freaking sucks. It’s painful and hard to commit to. There is nothing enjoyable about it and I don’t care what Tony Gentilcore says, it is definitely not sexy.

I must say that it has been extremely beneficial in the last four weeks though. I normally do it once on my off days and twice on my training days. On my training days I make it a part of my warm up, then I do it again before I go to bed. The way I keep myself in check is by thinking to myself that every time I go a day without foam rolling, god kills a cat. I try to make sure I get at least one session in each day as I don’t want one of my feline’s to have a date with grim.

Should I Buy One?

Duh. Just do a Google search and you will find many places to order one. You may also be able to pick one up at the local sporting goods store but don’t hold your breath. I live in a major city and was unable to find one. Perhaps I did not look hard enough. You can get them in different sizes and rigidities. I like mine to be a bit more firm than most others. If you are cheap, you can also make one. That’s what I did. A friend of mine over at CTGD created a great foam roller tutorial to empower you to make one at home for pennies on the dollar. I used a similar method when I made mine a few months back. I need to make a new one though as it seems to be my cats’ favorite claw sharpener.  Thank goodness I didn’t drop a lot of money on one.

One Final Resource

Mike Robertson of Robertson Training Systems put together an awesome ebook that I highly recommend.  Self-Myofascial Release: Purpose, Methods and Techniques.  Read it, apply it and make yourself whole again.

So what about you? Using a foam roller regularly? How is it working out?

Tagged as: Rehabilitation