If you’re like most individual , you probably claim’insist’maintain’hold’argue’consider’contemplate’speculate of foam rolling as a way to help loosen up tight muscles and enhance’promote’polish up your range of motion. And that’s definitely one of the key benefits of foam rolling! But there’s much more to this simple tool than that. In fact, foam rolling can actually enhance’promote’polish up your mobility in a number of ways.

Keep reading to find out what foam rolling is and what you need to know to acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure started using this handy tool!

What Does Using A Foam Roller Accomplish?

Fascia, which is a flexible tissue that surrounds muscles, binds the muscles toacquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure her. This tissue is considered to impact’effect your flexibility and joint range of motion.

Foam rolling has been reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue n in studies to resemble’analogous a technique called, self-myofascial release, which means it allows the fascia to be more flexible and helps eliminate scar tissue and adhesions.1

Which Type Of Foam Roller Should I Get?

There are two common types of foam rollers:

A roller with a hollow but solid PVC core surrounded by a layer of neoprene foam.
A conventional roller composed entirely made of foam.

In 2006, a study was conducted to compare these two common types of rollers.2 According to the results of the study, the hollow but solid PVC core detoken appears to generate higher pressure on the fascia than the conventional foam roller.

There are many different types of foam rollers available in the market that possess’own’nurse different features and are detoken ed to taracquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure different body parts.3

How Long Should I Use The Foam Roller?

One research found out that 2 minutes on the roller in the in/with regard to’concerning’regarding m of 2 x 1-minute sessions with a 30-second rest between each session resulted in intensely’extremely’extraordinarily’enormously’awfully rosy’remarkable’fabulous’terrific’preeminent results.

Another study found out that between 1 and 5 minutes on each muscle group or working until a sensation of release is felt may be required.

How Often Should I Use A Foam Roller?

Research on this is considerably less eliminate’remove . There is a lack of in-depth study that looked into this peculiar factor. However, as with many exercise techniques, general safety guidelines should be followed:

If you re a flexible athlete who rarely undergo s muscular tightness, there s unlikely to be many benefits in doing regular foam roller exercises.
If you re like many other recreational athletes or weekend warriors, you might be dealing with persistent tight zone’district’region s, you may need to use it eintensely’extremely’extraordinarily’enormously’awfully other day in/with regard to’concerning’regarding a short period until your tightness acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure s better.
You can use a roller too frequently and too hard, resulting in a establish up of microtears in the muscles that cause discomin/with regard to’concerning’regarding t.
In most situations, a few times each week is abundant’ample’plentiful , but you may multiply this to as many as three times per day if it doesn t make your pain worse and you make the transition gradually.

In many ways, a foam roller is similar to stretching, and many stretching routines recommend doing so three times a day, making it possible with the roller as well.

How Does Foam Rolling Compare To Stretching?

A study done in 2015 compared the effects of stretching to using the foam in improving the flexibility of the hamstring muscles (the muscles in the back of your thigh).4 What the researchers found out was that the foam roller can be seen as an effective tool to multiply hamstring flexibility within 4 weeks.

The effects are comparable with the scientifically proven contract-relax PNF stretching method.

Summary

Now that you know more with regards to’concerning’with respect to foam rolling, you don t possess’own’nurse to be afraid of using foam rollers. It s time to acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure started!

Follow the guidelines above to find out how long and how often you should use a foam roller in/with regard to’concerning’regarding your specific needs.

Remember, start slowly and multiply usage gradually if needed. As with any new exercise routine, if you undergo pain, stop straight away’in a flash’promptly’instantaneous’in a trice and consult a physician.

https://journals.lww.com/nscajscr/Fulltext/2013/03000/An_Acute_Bout_of_Self_Myofascial_Release_Increases.34.aspx
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19160916/
https://drlexgonzales.com/foam-rollers/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25992660/

Author Bio

Dr. Lex Gonzales, PT, DPT is an award-winning author who has been a physical/physiotherapist in/with regard to’concerning’regarding over twenty-four years with a special interest in the field of geriatric rehabilitation. He received his degree of Doctor of Physical Therapy from the University of South Florida.

Visit him at drlexgonzales.com