Foam rolling, also known as self myofascial release (SMR), has been around for a while now but is still not often used by sports or fitness enthusiasts. Foam rolling can loosen tight muscles and help to remove muscle adhesions, increase flexibility, and may help to prevent injury. It can feel like your own massage easing away the aches and pains. This also makes it great for easing tension caused by sitting at a computer all day.

Who can benefit?

  • Runners
  • Golfers
  • Office workers
  • Martial artists
  • Manual workers
  • Gymnasts
  • Body builders
  • and many others

Used before exercise, foam rolling can help to release stiffness around the joints and add to the benefits of warm-up by easing pain and muscular tension. After exercise, it can offset Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) and release any tension that could later contribute to overuse injuries.

How does it work?

You have mechanical receptors in the muscle-tendon junction which are sensitive to changes in muscle tension. If a muscle is under a lot of tension the receptors can aid in relaxing the muscle to prevent injury. By foam rolling, you can activate these receptors to relax the muscle. When first using this technique the muscles can become quite sore, but this disappears after frequent use.

Warning!

If you have any of the following conditions do not use a foam roller:- Diabetes, pregnancy, high blood pressure, heart disease, intermittent narrowing of the arteries or any arterial diseases and osteoporosis.

Technique

Roll slowly over the muscle involved. Repeat 10-30 times depending on the tension in the muscle. If a tight area is found you can hold this position for 10-30 seconds to help relax.

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Avoid the joints, but the roller can help in mobilising the spine by gently rolling on the back over the roller. You sometimes end up in a few awkward positions to ease the muscles.