Foam Rolling 101: Roll Your Way to Recovery

Ready to transform your fitness routine with foam rolling? Join me, Kris Harris, certified personal trainer and Pilates instructor, as we explore the wonders of this self-myofascial release technique that can alleviate muscle pain, increase blood flow, and improve flexibility. In this week's Kore Kast, we'll break down the science behind foam rolling, its numerous benefits, and how you can incorporate it into your fitness regimen for optimal results.

You won't want to miss our in-depth discussion on specific foam rolling techniques for different muscle groups and stretches that can enhance your flexibility even further. Whether you're an athlete, fitness enthusiast, or simply looking to relieve muscle tension, this episode is packed with valuable insights that can help you embrace the power of foam rolling and elevate your athletic performance. So grab your foam roller, and let's dive into this transformative journey together!

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Transcript

Kris Harris: 0:13

Hello and welcome to this week's edition of the Kore Kast. I'm your host, Kris Harris, a certified personal trainer and Pilates instructor with over 17 years of experience helping my clients to get stronger, move better and meet their health and wellness goals. In this week's episode, we are going to talk about the many benefits of foam rolling. Whether you're an athlete, fitness enthusiast or just looking to relieve some muscle tension, foam rolling can be a game changer in your fitness routine. In this episode, we're going to cover the basics of foam rolling, the foam rolling 101, including what it is, how it works and the benefits it can bring to your body. We'll also dive into some specific foam rolling techniques for different muscle groups, along with some stretches that will help improve your flexibility. We will discuss some tips for getting the most out of your foam roller and explore ways to incorporate foam rolling into your workout routine. So let's get started. So what exactly is foam rolling? Foam rolling is a self-myofascial release technique used to alleviate muscle pain, help sore muscles and increase blood flow. It is more formally referred to as myofascial release, which can alleviate that tension and muscle pain caused by adhesions that sometimes form between the muscle and your fascia. These adhesions are commonly referred to as knots. We talked about fascia and adhesions in our episode. What is Fascia? That's episode five of the core cast, and what we talked about was fascia being that layer of connective tissue that surrounds your muscles, separating them from your organs. Fascia surrounds every bone, organ, nerve and muscle in your body like a web, contributing to the stability of your musculoskeletal system. Although the tissue is usually relaxed and pliable, it is largely composed of collagen, making it extremely strong. Ideally, as you move, your muscles should glide smoothly underneath your fascia. Injury, body misalignments, inflammation, overuse and other issues may cause the fascia to restrict, resulting in the fascia putting pressure on your joints and muscles and limiting movement and causing pain. Adhesions can occur in the space between your muscle and your fascia. These myofascial adhesions cause the muscle to get stuck during the gliding process, leading to muscle knots. These knots, or trigger points, may cause severe pain and pressure on the body in specific areas. This is called myofascial pain syndrome.

Kris Harris: 2:39

According to research published by Current Sports Medicine Reports, it was found that foam rolling appears to have a positive effect on flexibility before exercise and results in decreased soreness and fatigue following exercise. To gain the most flexibility, participants needed to use a combination of both foam rolling and stretching. Participants who foam rolled for one minute before stretching had the best results. Foam rolling has been found to be an effective tool before a workout. According to a review of literature published in Current Sports Medicine Reports, foam rolling appears to have a positive effect on flexibility before exercise and decreases soreness and fatigue following exercise. Foam rolling has also been shown to reduce fatigue when performed before a workout. A reduction in fatigue can lead to more enjoyment during training, more consistency and better results overall.

Kris Harris: 3:31

Using a foam roller before a workout can help reduce tension while elevating the temperature in the muscle and fascia, which can allow greater joint motion. It's important to use it only for a brief amount of time because it could change a muscle's ability to produce force. Foam rolling also serves as a great cool down after a workout. It can speed up recovery, decrease soreness and help improve performance. Foam rolling can also help promote a feeling of relaxation after a workout, which is an important psychological benefit. Some statistics on foam rolling A study conducted in 2015 found that foam rolling reduced muscle soreness by 20% when compared to a control group, and that came from the Journal of Athletic Training. Another study in 2018 showed that foam rolling was effective in improving range of motion and reducing muscle stiffness and individuals with limited flexibility, and this comes from the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. A survey conducted in 2016 found that 85% of physical therapists use foam rolling as a treatment modality for their patients, and the source came from International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy. And in a study published in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, researchers found that foam rolling before exercise improved agility and speed performance in athletes. Overall, these studies suggest that foam rolling can be an effective tool for reducing muscle soreness, improving flexibility and enhancing athletic performance.

Kris Harris: 5:00

So how exactly does foam rolling work? Foam rolling works by sending input to your nervous system via receptors in your muscles, tendons and fascia. As you roll over those soft tissues, the receptor sends signals to the spinal cord. The parasympathetic nervous system responds by sending signals back to the muscles or tissues to relax, and the density of the roller can have an effect on the nervous system as well. It has been found that a medium density roller may yield the best improvement in range of motion. A denser roller may cause the user to stiffen or tense up against the pressure, which can actually have the opposite effect. It's recommended that when someone is just beginning with rolling, to start with a soft roller. As a person becomes more accustomed to rolling, a denser roller may be used. Keep in mind that pain is not the goal in foam rolling. With too much pain or discomfort is experienced, it may have a negative response on the user, and it's also important to incorporate deep, slow breathing and relaxing while rolling to increase the overall effectiveness.

Kris Harris: 6:02

What are the many benefits of foam rolling? Foam rolling is beneficial before and after your workout. Foam rolling prior to a workout can help decrease muscle density and allow for a better warm-up. Foam rolling after a workout can aid in recovery for sore muscles after strenuous exercise. Other benefits of self-mio-facial release via foam rolling include improvement in joint range of motion. Ease of muscle soreness and joint stress. Help in maintaining functional muscular length, and this is important due to the fact that when you exercise, you want as much muscle length as you can, so you don't compensate and use other muscle groups in place of what you're trying to target.

Kris Harris: 6:42

Foam rolling after your workout may help with acute pain relief, but studies have been inconclusive about the effects of delayed onset muscle soreness or DOMS, and that's a pain that starts a day or two after a workout. Foam rolling can reduce muscle inflammation. It can increase blood flow to the muscles and there is some evidence that foam rolling can help alleviate chronic pain. Episode 14, the Healing Power of Pilates, discusses a little bit more about chronic pain. Chronic pain is often associated with signals at fire from the nervous system and studies have shown that foam rolling has positive benefits for your nervous system. Foam rolling can also help treat adhesions or trigger points that may be causing that chronic pain.

Kris Harris: 7:21

So what to look for? How to choose a foam roller. Foam rollers are foam cylinders and they come in a variety of sizes and densities. The most common and the longer roller is measuring 36 inches long with a 6 inch diameter. Foam rollers can come in smooth or textured exteriors, which are good for working on deep knots or tension. If you're new to foam rolling or have very tight muscles or trigger points, opt for a soft or foam roller, or you can use something like a tennis ball or lacrosse ball for a more triggered, targeted pressure. Again, if that's something that's new to you, use something soft, and you can always go to a different modality after that. So how to foam roll, foam rolling technique. There's really not a specific order in which you need to foam roll. You do what feels best to you Place the foam roller under each muscle group and roll at a constant tempo of approximately one inch per second until the tender area is found.

Kris Harris: 8:19

Once a knot is found, maintain pressure on the knot or trigger point for approximately 90 seconds to allow the tissue to relax and lengthen. For example, you could start by rolling your calf muscles When you find that tender area. Hold for 30 to 90 seconds, making sure that you breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth For maximum benefit. Follow up the foam rolling with stretches for the same area to help with that tissue to adapt it to the new length while controlling joint function. Start out light. Don't put your whole body weight into it right away. Find your tolerance first and adjust if you're sore from it the next day. You should never roll directly on the area of pain, as this pressure may cause more pain and create more inflammation and tension. Focus on rolling out the surrounding areas of the painful section, as those are likely pulling on the painful area and can be released more easily. So, to recap, some of the helpful tips for rolling include rolling the lighter density roller because it may be slightly uncomfortable at first. Stay consistent and you can help mobilize that fascia and maybe take it to another, more dense roller as you get used to it as well.

Kris Harris: 9:27

Spend at least one to two minutes per area when you foam roll for maximum impact, and once you find a sore spot, you want to roll slowly and take deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth, and you can repeat the move for about three to five times. You can use a foam roller daily or a few times a week. It really depends on what works best for you. It shouldn't take more than 10 minutes. Also, be sure to stay hydrated and drink plenty of water, because you're releasing toxins from your system. So we're going to discuss an easy foam roller routine. This is something that you can do at any time. This is a great routine that just gives you a little bit of stretching along with the foam rolling, and it comes from AnytimeFitnesscom For the thoracic spine, which is your upper mid-back, which is often an area that is affected by posture.

Kris Harris: 10:15

We tend to have forward shoulders, forward head, from looking at our phones or being at a computer, so this is a great one to help. You want to start by lying on your back and begin with that foam roller underneath your shoulder blades. You want to place your hands behind your head for support or cross the arms over the chest. You're then going to lift the hips up slightly off the ground, maintain a slight curve in the low back. Kind of think of it as performing a small crunch and using your feet, push forward and backward to roll out the upper back, rolling from shoulder blade to mid-back. After that, a great stretch to incorporate is a quadruped cat cow. So, beginning on your hands and knees, with your back in a neutral position, you're going to take a nice deep breath in and lift the chin and tailbone towards the sky. You're going to create this arch in the back As you exhale. You're going to tuck the chin and tailbone towards the ground, rounding out the spine For foam rolling for the glutes.

Kris Harris: 11:10

You want to begin by sitting on the foam roller with your knees bent and feet on the ground. You want to shift slightly to put your weight on your right leg and begin to roll up and down the length of the glute on the side of your right leg. That would be your medial glute area. Don't shift from side to side. Instead switch sides once one side is complete. Next, if you would like, you can shift the focus of this exercise towards your IT band Instead of placing the roller underneath your glutes. Shift so that you're on your side and keep the roller underneath your IT band. That runs along just above your knee and all the way up to your hip, and that's the IT band is generally an area that can be a little bit tight and a little bit sore, so some people prefer not to use it on the IT band, but if you'd like, that's a great way to transition from the glutes.

Kris Harris: 11:58

The stretch is a couple stretches here. Supine knees to chest. You're laying on your back, draw both knees into the chest. Keep your head and shoulders grounded to the floor. Also, a great gluteal stretch is a figure four stretch. You're laying on your back. You're going to cross one leg over the other, so you're getting that nice figure four stretch for the glute.

Kris Harris: 12:17

Foam rolling for the quadriceps. You're going to begin with a foam roller on the floor. You're going to be laying on your stomach and the foam rollers underneath your quadriceps or the front of the thighs, lifting the legs slightly out the ground, placing the weight of the upper body on the forearms, you're going to push your arms to roll out the quadriceps by moving forward and backwards from the pelvic bone to knee and right leg, even so that you're rolling the leg muscles at the same time. So think of it sometimes when I roll, i feel like I'm kind of crawling on my elbows. You're moving up and down the quadricep muscle. One of the stretches you can do is a standing quadricep stretch after you've rolled out those quad muscles, so standing on your left leg and bringing that right foot towards the glutes with your right hand, grab onto the right foot, keeping the knee pointed towards the ground and legs close together, and then you would switch sides.

Kris Harris: 13:08

So is foam rolling safe? Foam rolling is generally considered safe. If you have a broken bone or torn muscle, you may want to speak with your doctor first. You also want to be careful using a foam roller on joints like your ankles, knees or elbows, as it can cause you to hyper extend those areas. So if you are pregnant, it's a good idea to speak with your health care provider first.

Kris Harris: 13:32

Foam rolling is a very effective way to alleviate muscle tension, improve flexibility and range of motion and enhance overall athletic performance, whether you're an athlete looking to improve your performance or someone looking to alleviate everyday muscle soreness, foam rolling can be a great addition to your routine. With the right technique and consistency, foam rolling can improve your overall health and wellness. I like this quote Myofascial release is the key to unlocking tension and tightness in our bodies. By releasing the fascia, we can experience greater mobility, flexibility and freedom of movement. Thanks again for joining me for this week's episode of The Kore Kast. Make sure to subscribe to The Kore Kast on all major podcast platforms so that you don't miss an episode. You can also subscribe to The Kore Kast channel on YouTube or our website, www. kore-fit. com And that's Kore with a K For great resources live stream classes, weekly blogs and more. If you're enjoying this podcast, click the link in the description to support the show. We really appreciate it. See you next time.