Whether you’re tight from hours of sitting during your nine to five, or sore from a long run or intervals at the track, the foam roller is an excellent way to give your muscles some TLC. And, when it is performed correctly, foam-rolling works.
That ‘correctly’ part, however, doesn’t always occur. Some people roll too hard (which can be...discouraging), others skip essential parts of the foam-rolling process as they rush through the moves. That can prevent your muscles from getting the most from the process.
‘The foam roller allows you to down-regulate your nervous system and prep your body for recovery,’ says physiotherapist Dan Giordano. ‘It increases blood flow so the body can heal itself properly and you can optimise your performance the next time you get out there.’
To get those benefits, simply keep these dos and don’ts in mind:
DO foam-roll pre- and post-run
Giordano says the foam roller can and should be used both pre- and post-workout, albeit with a slightly different method for each scenario. ‘If you’re foam-rolling prior to activity, do only 15 seconds per area to increase blood flow and release muscle tension, then do your warm-up,’ says Giordano. ‘Post- workout, roll for a minute on each area and dig a little deeper.’
If you roll too long before a workout, the nervous system is down-regulated rather than prepared for activity, and force output could be decreased.
DON’T Foam-roll to pain
Foam-rolling should not be painful. If it is, adjust your body weight and the compression by shifting slightly off the area. If you want more pressure, increase the weight. So, if you’re rolling your right glute with the right leg crossed over the left in a figure-four position and it’s too intense, uncross the top leg to decrease the pressure added by that extra weight.
DO Foam-roll side to side (and up and down)
‘Because of how fascia can misalign, it’s important to roll side to side as well as up and down,’ says Giordano. If you find a really sticky spot, go side to side there as well, rolling on and off instead of just digging into the area to release tightness.
DON’T Foam-roll on your bones
Keep the roller away from bones and joints. ‘If you press the foam roller into your bone, the only thing it can possibly do is cause a bone bruise,’ says Giordano.
But he points out that in some areas, such as the hip flexor, you should get into the tendon area closer to the bone, because nerves run through that muscle-tendon junction and rolling into the tendon can provide relief. ‘Go as far as you want on the muscle or the tendon without touching the bone,’ says Giordano.
DO Try the ‘pin and stretch’
The ‘pin and stretch’ technique is a great way to release a very tight spot. ‘If you’re foam-rolling your quad, and you feel a sticky spot, bring that quad muscle to a stretch position,’ says Giordano. ‘If you’re on your stomach, bring your heel toward your bum by flexing the knee, and hold the stretch while you move up and down and side to side on the roller.’ By moving through range of motion, you can help get rid of painful trigger-point areas.
Next, take a look at our recommendations for the best foam rollers money can buy.
