Foam Rolling & Physical Wellbeing: In order to prolong our physical wellbeing, it is crucial we care for our body. It is a fact that lifting weights and high volume cardiovascular exercise is great for increasing physical health. It is however equally important that we cool down, stretch and recover correctly! If we don’t, we immediately raise our risk of injury. This could potentially lead to significant time on the sidelines, putting a firm hold on your health and fitness goals.

Foam Rolling

When it comes to self-myofascial release (SMR), also known as trigger point releasing, foam rollers are number one. However, it’s not just as simple as getting on them and mashing up your muscles. This might feel like it’s doing you good, but that isn’t always the case.

Moreover, Foam rolling can be an effective tool to add to your warm-up or cooldown, before and after exercise. Furthermore, the benefits of foam rolling may vary from person to person.

Foam Rolling & Physical Wellbeing Benefits: These pointers will make sure you’re getting the most out of your foam roller.

Foam Rolling is a far more effective post-training session or even the next day

Without going into much technical detail, foam rolling helps drive blood into local areas, helping flush out waste and allowing nutrient exchange within the muscle. This speeds up the recovery process, reducing delayed onset muscle soreness. Foam rolling can be beneficial for easing sore muscles and reducing inflammation. Furthermore, the only time foam rolling would be required pre-workout would be if you have existing mobility issues.

Greatly Decreases Tightness

By applying continuous, dynamic pressure through muscle tissue, foam rolling helps stimulate a reaction within the nervous system, loosening the tightness of broad and dense muscle tissues. This helps the muscles recovery with less soreness the next day.

Ensure You Maintain Other Mobility Methods

Foam rolling is not the be-all, end-all cure to all mobility issues. It actually has very little carry-over to mobility, flexibility, strength endurance and muscle function. Ensure you include a wide range of static, banded and dynamic exercises to make sure you’re giving your body balanced recovery. Why not even add some yoga to your weekly regime.

Temporarily Reduce Appearance of Cellulite

While foam rolling may help smooth out your skin temporarily, there is currently no scientific evidence that it can permanently reduce cellulite. Cellulite is the dimpled-looking skin that commonly found in the thigh part of a person. It forms when fatty tissue deep in the skin pushes up against connective tissue.

Providers of some foam rolling products claim the products can help loosen and break up your fascia. Fascia is the body’s connective tissues and contributes to the appearance of cellulite.

Is Foam Rolling Safe?

Foam rolling is generally considered safe to do if you experience muscle tightness or regularly exercise. However, one must avoid foam rolling if they have a serious injury. This includes injuries like a muscle tear or break.

Moreover, avoid rolling over small joints like your knees, elbows, and ankles. This could cause you to hyperextend or damage those mentioned parts. Instead, when foam rolling your legs, roll out your calves first and then your quads separately, avoiding the knee area.

Furthermore, foam rolling may help relieve tension during pregnancy. With the doctor’s permission first and avoid lying on your back to foam roll later in your pregnancy stage. You also should skip rolling out the calves in your third trimester. This may cause premature labour.

Choosing Your Foam Roller

A foam roller is usually cylinder-shaped and made of dense foam. Furthermore,  you can find foam rollers in a range of sizes and shapes, and in various levels of firmness.

Smooth Rollers are known for having a smooth, dense foam surface. They are best for people new to foam rolling

Textured Rollers have ridges and knobs on them. They are used to work deeper into muscles and work out knots and tension.

Foam-Covered Massage Sticks can be used to deeply massage your legs or upper back.

Foam Massage Balls can be used for targeted muscle areas. For example, to work out knots in shoulders.

 

So if you’re taking care of your physical wellbeing, but unsure of your current stretching and mobility regime (or lack thereof), contact one of our Personal Trainers for some new exercises and mobility improvers!