Would you like your muscles feel relaxed in-between your massage sessions from home? Here are a list of 4 benefits on how foam rolling can help you in-between your massage sessions
- It can be used on the go and at home or at gym
- It is an in-expenses way of looking after your muscles
- Helps injury prevention and repair (pre or post exercise)
- Simple self-massage (quick 1 minute each muscle)
What is foam rolling?
Self-myofascial release is a fancy term for self-massage that helps to release muscle tightness or trigger points, you can do this by using a foam roller. The technique focuses on pain that is from myofascial tissues — the tough membranes that wrap, connect and support your muscles. Fascia when healthy is flexible, supple and gilders smoothly over your muscles. Even sitting at your desk all day can cause your fascia to become stiff.
Why should I be using a foam roller?
Just stretching alone is not always enough to release muscles tightness. Imagine an elastic band with a knot tied into it and then envision stretching the band. This creates tension, stretching the unknotted portion of the muscle and the attachment points. The knot, however, does not get a stretch. When we exercise some of our muscles will become overused and some will become under used. The muscles that get overused will get tight and will not function properly, by foam rolling you are helping muscle symmetry “reset”.
When should I be using a foam roller?
You can add it to be apart of your warm up/cool down or even both. It should reduce that soreness that you get after an intense workout be that from a game of squash, a session in the gym or an intense swim or just a day at the office sat in the same position.
How do I use a Foam Roller?
You use your body weight as roll over the foam roller to focus pressure on specific muscles this then helps lengthen the muscles and help release built up tension in your fascia. When using your foam roller, it is better to be too soft than too hard. You are likely to feel some discomfort, but this should be minimal and not cause you “bad pain”. If you find a spot that is tender or painful (knots) you want to spend anywhere from 5 – 30 seconds targeting that area. Try your best to relax!
How long does it take to release fascia?
Just 10 minutes for your body is enough depending on how many knots & trigger points you have will determine how much time to spend on specific areas just like in a massage. Some days you might only spend 5 minutes foam rolling but others you could spend 15 minutes
What foam roller should I be using?
There are several types of foam rollers, the soft cylindrical type are perfect for when first using them or on more sensitive areas. You can chose a firmer density one if you are more experienced and used to the feeling and can determine what your body can take
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