Whether it’s caused by a tough workout or working in front of a computer for hours, everyone suffers from muscle tightness, soreness, and stiffness sometimes. There are many ways to find relief from the pain, such as stretching, getting a massage, or icing down the area.
One treatment you might not have tried, however, is foam rolling. This is a self-myofascial release (SMR) technique, a form of self-massage that people use to relieve muscle discomfort. There are multiple tools that can be used for SMR but one of the most common is a foam roller.
Adventure Fitness Athletic Club offers a wide variety of foam rollers at the gym including foam, high density, and vibrating foam. AFAC also has the “Mobot” for sale, which is a combination high-density roller that is also a water bottle. Please see the front desk at our Thornton gym for details on purchasing one of these fun, multifunctional workout assistants!
What is self-myofascial release (SMR)?
To better understand foam rolling, we’ll need to take a deeper look at what self-myofascial release is, how foam rolling achieves SMR, and why this can be an essential tool to add to your warm-up or cooldown time.
What is fascia?
The “myofascial” part of self-myofascial release refers to the fascia, which is the connective tissue underneath the skin that stabilizes, attaches, separates, and encloses muscle tissue and other internal organs.
In simpler terms, fascia is a lot like the slimy layer of tissue on a chicken breast that you can peel off. Every organ, blood vessel, bone, muscle, and nerve fiber in your body is held in place by this thin casing of connective tissue that allows for smooth, friction-free movement, much like oil in an engine. Fascia also has its own nerves, just like the skin does, which means that if the fascia gets injured or stressed, it tightens up and hurts.
What are knots, adhesions, and trigger points?
Sometimes due to overuse or injury, sensitive spots or tears can emerge in the muscle fascia. These spots — which can cause pain and other discomfort — are often called knots, adhesions, and trigger points, which are loosely defined as follows:
- Adhesions — If tears in the fascia don’t heal properly, the fascia can bunch together in spots called adhesions. They can feel like a snap or pop when you or a therapist works on them and they contract back into place.
- Knots — These raised balls of hard tissue are a buildup of contracted muscle that’s surrounded by dry, tight fascia tissue. Knots are often caused by repetitive movements or poor posture.
- Trigger points — Similar to a knot, a trigger point is a spindle of muscle fibers that is stuck in contraction mode. Some fitness professionals use the terms “knots” and “trigger points” interchangeably.
How does foam rolling help release knots, trigger points, and adhesions?
The good news is, however you define them, adhesions, knots, and trigger points can be broken up, released, and reset by applying constant, direct pressure on them. They can even be prevented in the future.
That’s where foam rolling comes in!
Since most of us don’t have 24/7 access to a personal masseuse, foam rolling is an effective, convenient way to massage yourself. Another benefit of foam rolling is that you can control exactly where to apply the pressure and how much pressure to apply. This is why foam rolling has gained such popularity in recent times.
However, always use care when foam rolling because if done improperly, you can actually cause more harm than good. The team at AFAC is always here to give you advice on how to perform foam rolling properly and prevent injury.
How does foam rolling work?
To practice foam rolling, simply do the following:
- Roll the affected part of your body on the foam roller until you feel a trigger point, knot, adhesion, or other “hot spot.”
- When it hurts, you’ll know that you’ve found one.
- Then, just rest on the foam roller for about 10-20 seconds.
- Remember that it’s the constant pressure — not the rolling — that smooths the fascia and provides relief.
- If you can’t find the exact location of your trigger point, perform the foam rolling over a larger area around your discomfort.
- Focus on the fascia and muscles and avoid applying pressure to joints and bones.
- You can also use a foam roller like a rolling pin and manually press it on troublesome areas.
- Make sure to drink plenty of water afterward.
Follow these steps as part of your warm up and cool down when you work out. Try to focus on places where you experience the most discomfort. On your rest days, try to devote 30-45 minutes to foam rolling your entire body. By foam rolling every day, you can prevent muscle knots, trigger points, and adhesions from occurring in the future.
What are the benefits of foam rolling?
In addition to releasing troublesome trigger points, knots, and adhesions, foam rolling provides several other benefits, including:
- It relieves muscle tightness.
- It helps to prevent injuries.
- It increases flexibility and range of motion.
- It de-stresses your body so you can move and workout more efficiently.
- It increases blood flow which can shorten recovery time after working out.
- It reduces soreness after workouts.
- It “hurts so good.”
How do I get a foam roller?
To try foam rolling, first you need a foam roller. There are many different types of foam rollers on the market at different price points. All foam rollers will get the job done, but can lose their round shape after continuous use. Some foam rollers have a PVC pipe in the middle to solve this issue.
You’ll also notice that many foam rollers have grids molded onto the surface to give you a more targeted massage. You can even get foam rollers that vibrate or come with gel inserts you can put in the freezer.
Foam rollers are also available in different levels of firmness. These are usually color-coded to show whether they are hard (black), medium (blue, red, or green), or soft (white).
Here at AFAC, we use a wide variety of foam rollers at our gym including foam, high-density foam, and vibrating foam rollers. We also sell the “Mobot,” which is a foam roller wrapped around a water bottle. In addition to providing a convenient place to keep your beverage, this foam roller will also maintain its shape over time thanks to the water bottle’s support. The solid surface of the water bottle also helps the foam roller give you a deeper, more intense massage.
Ask AFAC About Foam Rolling Today
Your team at AFAC is here to help you with all your questions about foam rolling, as well as show you the various foam rollers we use at our gym and the Mobot foam roller/water bottles we have for sale. We hope you will use foam rolling as an effective tool to relieve muscle tension, soreness, and inflammation.
For more information about foam rolling, contact our gym or visit our front desk. You can also call Susan at 720-849-0245 or email her at susan@adventurefitness.club.
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