The Health Benefits of Foam Rolling and Other Mobility Tools
This article is an absolute basics guide to Foam rolling: what a Foam Roller is, how it works, and how to use it.
Please take care when using a foam Roller, or any other kind of mobility tool, and if you feel pain at all, stop. We’ll be focusing mainly on the roller, since it’s the most common and most versatile of the mobility tools at your disposal.
Look out for tips and tricks on other types of mobility equipment towards the end of the article, including floss bands and lacrosse balls.
Pain vs. Discomfort
The first major point to consider when you start using a foam roller, is that pain and discomfort are different things. Pain is your body’s way of telling you that something is wrong, and that you should stop.
Pain can feel sharp or jarring, or it can seem to send shooting signals throughout your legs, arms, back, wherever. Pain is bad.
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Discomfort on the other hand, especially when it comes to foam rolling, is normal. If you’ve been doing a lot of running, for example, it’s expected that your hamstrings will be tight. For your hamstrings to then be uncomfortable when you roll on them, is normal. Anywhere between 6 and 7 on your own personal discomfort scale is ok, just breathe through it. |
How Can I Tell the Difference?
Let’s say you’re rolling your hamstring, and you get a shooting pain up a nerve into your back — that’s pain, so stop and move the roller.
If you feel a generally dull, but uncomfortable stretch in your hamstring, but no shooting pain, that’s normal.
What Is a Foam Roller?
TriggerPoint GRID Foam Roller. Click on the photo to check the Price on Amazon.
A foam roller is a long tube of hard plastic, covered by a spongy material, that’s covered in little nobbly bits and bumps.
Athletes, gym enthusiasts, yogis and people who do a lot of sitting or manual work, can benefit from spending a few minutes a day rolling out on a foam roller.
Check the Price of the TriggerPoint GRID Foam Roller on Amazon
How Does a Foam Roller Work?
Foam rolling is essentially self-massage. The concept of massage is to break apart knots in muscle tissues, and help muscles to lengthen back out into their normal state.
Think of a foam roller as a baker kneading dough; a tight muscle is a big round ball of dough, waiting to be stretched. The roller acts like the baker’s hands, pulling and stretching the muscle back into shape.
An alternative to the foam roller is something like the PharMeDoc Muscle Roller Massage Stick.
Ok, so How Do I Use a Foam Roller?
Most people when they start out, don’t use the foam roller correctly, and there are three main reasons why:
1) It hurts too much so they stop
2) They don’t spend long enough rolling a particular area
3) They roll too quickly
The solution to the first reason is simply to suck it up, because foam rolling hurts.
Secondly, you need to be rolling a muscle (hamstring, quad, lat,) for at least two minutes. Yes, really.
Thirdly, slow down, think steamroller, not rolling pin.
To Use a Foam Roller (e.g. On Hamstring):– Place the foam roller on the ground so that you can roll back and forth on it – Sit on the floor and position your hamstring on top of the roller – Support most of your weight with your hands and opposing leg – Gently and slowly work your hamstring over the roller, finding and concentrating on the most uncomfortable parts Tip: If you shower before rolling, your muscles will be warmer, and it’ll be less painful. |
Which Muscles Can I Foam Roll?
All of the following respond well to foam rolling:
– Quads
– Hamstrings
– Lats
– Calves and soles of feet
– Lower and upper back
Foam rolling is not really suitable for:
– Knees
– Traps/Trapezius
– Neck
How to Use a Floss Band
Floss bands are long, elastic strips you can use to release tension in muscle tissue, and help to restore nutrient-rich blood flow.
Mobility Master WOD Floss Band Set. Click on the photo to check the Price on Amazon.
Like most mobility tools, floss bands work by compressing and then massaging the muscle to help break up any areas of tension. Unlike foam rolling, flossing needs to be done relatively quickly, since you’re restricting blood flow by compressing the muscle.
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Using a band is easy, and safe, as long as you follow a few simple rules: – Wrap the band around the desired area (calf, quad, shoulder etc.), stretching as you go – Aim for around 70-80% of what you feel maximum tightness would be – Gently move the wrapped area through its full range of motion for around 1-2 minutes – If you feel any pinching or pain, stop and adjust the band – Do not leave the band on for more than 2 minutes. Remove and move your area around slowly. Check the Mobility Master Floss Band Set Price on Amazon |
Lacrosse Balls
Often just called mobility balls, these hard beauties act in exactly the same way as a foam roller, only with great precision.
Lacrosse Balls – WODFitters Mobility Lacrosse Balls Set. Click on the photo to check the Price on Amazon.
Mobility balls are great for targeting tight areas in the back (especially the lower back), as well as the hips and calves.
Because you’re putting a lot of pressure on a small area, it’s important to move slowly and with intent when you’re using balls. For best results, start slowly, working over any areas of tension. When you find a tight spot, stick with it, and use the ball to massage the muscle back into shape. Don’t rush, and if you’re wondering how much it’s supposed to hurt, anything from 6-8 on the pain scale is normal. If it’s excruciating, go with a foam roller first.
Be safe with your mobility exercises, and enjoy your newfound flexibility.
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