Therapy Review: Foam Rolling: What it is, why to do it, and how to do it

This post is going to talk a bit about foam rolling, which is a fairly new recovery technique for athletes at every level and not excluding your Globo-Gym/Average Joe's regulars. Foam rolling is something I, along with a majority of other nordic skiers have adopted to help speed the recovery of our muscles after workouts and races. It is also utilized by about 50% of Therapeutic Associates Physical Therapy's patients. The physical therapists at Therapeutic Associates believe that it is an important way to maintain balance in tissues that may have localized tightness.

There is obviously more to know about foam rolling, so here is the lowdown on the what, the why, and the how...

What
Foam rolling is the act of releasing knots in muscles that are the result of sustained activity/extreme exertion with a cylindrical piece of foam that is manufactured in different densities (low to high). Using your body weight and pressing the affected muscle/body part into the top of the roller becomes a self deep-tissue massage and is often referred to as self-myofascial release (SMR). Some popular foam rollers are:

Trigger Point Performance's "The Grid" Revolutionary Foam Roller

SPRI Super High Density Foam Roller

The PT's at Therapeutic Associates prescribe this recovery tool to their patients because, as stated above, it helps to maintain balance in the tissues and fibers of muscles. Foam rollers isolate the "knotted" muscle fibers that have been bothering you because they have been shortened due to overuse. When these muscle fibers lock up due to being shortened, they usually don't unlock easily, and it takes direct pressure to release them. The act of applying direct pressure is referred to by many PT's as "trigger point" therapy. When direct pressure is applied to the "trigger points" (knotted tissues and fibers), the knots unlock and the fibers are stretched out again. This is due to an increase in blood flow which flushes out any toxins or metabolites in the area, as well as the breakdown of scar tissue, which is often found in tight or injured muscles. The breakdown of the scar tissue increases the pliability and flexibility of the muscle.

Why
Foam rolling releases trigger points, allowing you full access to your muscles and all that they are capable of doing. Tight, shortened muscles restrict blood flow and may have built up scar tissue, but after rolling them out the fibers become elongated and blood rushes through them, cleaning out anything that could be detrimental to athletic performance. Scar tissue is broken down and muscles become more flexible, which aides in injury prevention.

How
I roll out every day for at least 15 minutes, usually right after I train, or if I haven't trained, I go for a jog to warm up my muscles beforehand. I usually focus on certain areas that are especially tight and sore. As a nordic skier, the most common areas of soreness are in the glutes, the upper/lower back, the hip-flexors, and the IT band. I concentrate on these areas at first, and if time allows, continue to other areas. Foam rolling does not have to be tedious and long. Hit the muscle groups that need attention and then if you have time, do more. Here are some ways to roll that I use almost every day:

Back

Lay directly over the roller with hands behind head and elbows up. Roll up and down the spine.

Glute

When massaging your glutes, focus on one cheek at a time. You can warm up by rolling up and down the glute (from the lower back to leg) and then do as this picture shows and do the "cross fiber" technique by wiggling the select cheek across the roller from left to right.