Who can Benefit from Foam Rolling? . . . Most People!
Foam rolling can be beneficial as part of a pre- or post-workout routine. It can also be a quick break from sitting. Shoulders, hips, ankles and other muscles can become very tight from or even long periods of sitting. Rolling as it’s called for just a few minutes can help loosen tight or tired muscles.
Pickleball and other hard court sports can be tough on your legs with constant starting and stopping motions. Many people find their hamstrings, ankles, quads or IT bands get tight and sore after playing. Using a foam roller on tight muscles can help you stretch them better in turn making your whole body feel better. Tension you hold in your one part of your body can create issues in other parts like you back and neck. Using a foam roller can at first feel a little painful to some as you use it to release the tension but this feeling quickly becomes addictive because it feels so good afterwards.
Quick disclaimer: Foam rolling isn’t right for people with open wounds, fractures, flare-ups of rheumatoid arthritis, deep-vein thrombosis, advanced osteoporosis, or neuropathy that causes pain. You should always consult you doctor.
Foam Rolling Benefits
Foam rolling helps release tension in the muscles, relieve muscle soreness, and improve flexibility and range of motion. It’s not clear exactly how that happens but the current theory is that the sustained pressure on the muscle causes the central nervous system to reduce the tension. This is the same concept as a deep tissue massage.
By releasing the tension tight muscles become more receptive to stretching. It is believed that after using a foam roller there is a temporary window of increased flexibility. This leads to bettie stretching and overall enhanced movement. Stretching is essential to your body and can improved athletic performance as well as reduce the likelihood of injury.
Types of Foam Rollers
The most common foam rollers are cylinders made of firm, compressed foam. The rollers are usually six inches in diameter, range from 12 to 36 inches long, and cost between $10 and $30.
Foam rollers come in different styles: some have bumps or ridges on them, some have gel inserts you can put in the freezer, and some vibrate. Rollers are also available in varying levels of firmness, color-coded to reflect whether they are soft (white), medium (red, blue, or green), or hard (black).
You can also find smaller massage rollers with handles (like a rolling pin), which you can roll on various parts of your body (like the top of your thighs), and foam ball rollers that you can use while standing (just place the ball between you and a wall, lean against it, and move your body over it).
Below is an illustration of different exercises you can use to activate specific areas of the body.
