STEPS2NUTRITION-One Step At A Time: Roll, Roll, Roll Your Foam, Gently Down Your Leg...

Hi everyone, I realize I haven’t written for awhile…my writing ambitions seem to blow with the wind these days, so forgive me if I am a bit rusty!

So, today I wanted to talk about this amazing discovery I made a few weeks back that, surprisingly, being as into exercise as I am, I never really knew about. Or perhaps I knew about it and just ignored it? Highly possible knowing me. I was at a friend’s house and we were practicing some meditation exercises, breathing, etc…and he showed me how to do some tension relieving exercises using a foam roller. I am not really sure how long foam rollers have been around, but thanks to the guidance of this friend, and a little bit of research, I am discovering how powerful a therapeutic tool they can be for maintaining optimal physical health.

This is not the exact one I have, but it sure looks like it.

What Is a Foam Roller?

A foam roller is exactly what it sounds like- a piece of rolled foam. You’ve likely seen one of these bad boys in the gym by the stretching area, and you just might not have known what they are or how versatile they can be.

The idea is simple enough: Using your own body weight and agility, you roll specific muscle groups against a firm foam roller to simulate a deep, gliding massage. Your body weight provides all the pressure that you need to roll out pain, stiffness and even areas where connective tissue adheres to the bones. For around 20-30 dollars, purchasing one of these it is an excellent and cheap way to help prevent injury and help you relax. Using a foam roller will relieve tension and pain and, over time, break down scar tissue, reducing the likelihood of injury. When I say over time, this could be awhile, so you have to be patient, something I am not good at, but learning.

From what I have read and experienced, the main benefits of foam rolling are as follows:

Improved blood circulation throughout your skin, fascia, muscles, and even tendons and ligaments where you can access them with a foam roller.
Through improved blood circulation, more efficient exchange of nutrients and waste products at a cellular level, leading to better overall bodily function.
Lengthening of short (tight) muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Some muscles (like hip flexors) and ligaments (like the iliotibial “IT” band) are prone to shortening, and are difficult to effectively stretch and apply therapeutic pressure to using standard massage and trigger point therapy techniques. But with a foam roller, you can apply deep pressure massage to such areas and lengthen shortened tissues, thereby preventing physical imbalances that can predispose you to injury.
Promotion of optimal spinal range of motion. You can accomplish this by slowly rolling your spine against a foam roller and pausing whenever you feel restrictions to allow your joints and surrounding tissues to stretch. A friend of mine also showed me how to target areas throughout the neck and back area using a softball, which hurts to use, but helps release tension in some of the harder to reach areas like under the shoulder blade.

So this same friend said to me, if you are going to always take from your body, you have to give back, or else there will eventually be repercussions. As I age, I am learning if I am going to continue with a semi-rigorous physical regimen, it is mandatory that I address physical injuries and breakdowns with a dedicated program of soft tissue work and stretching. Much thanks to a solid friend for opening my eyes and thank you foam roller, for repairing some of my muscle stiffness and circulation.