What is Foam Rolling?
Foam rolling is the use of a foam roller to release myofascia (connective tissue that surrounds our muscles.) Basically, fascia acts like a glue that is holding our body together. After the completion of physical activity our muscles tend to tighten. Unfortunately, if an individual is continuously putting their body at stress and fails to release the culminated tension, this will result in painful knots and adhesions of fascia. Foam rolling is a great way to self treat dormant fascia in order to achieve maximal results during physical exercise. The most common areas to foam roll include the calves, hamstrings, IT band, quadriceps, gluteals and the upper back.
Benefits
1. Increases range of motion
Foam rolling prior to a workout does in fact increase your range of motion. It helps return the muscles and fascia to their original form prior to the wear and tear. Personally, I have noticed this when I foam roll before doing mat pilates, as there is always an improvement in my range of motion.
2. Alleviates muscle tension
When foam rolling, blood circulation increases in the muscle. Moreover, fresh blood, oxygen and nutrients get pumped into the muscles whereas build up such as lactic acid is removed. Given this, foam rolling consistently over tense regions will alleviate muscle tension and improve efficiency of the post workout recovery process.
3. Decreases effects of DOMS
Foam rolling decreases the ramifications of DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). The sooner muscles receive oxygen and nutrients, the more efficient muscle recovery will be. A study conducted by the journal of athletic training coincides with this premise. The study spanned a total of 8 weeks and included 8 male participants. The participants did not foam roll in the first 4 weeks however in the latter 4 weeks they did foam roll after exercise. Results of this study showed that foam rolling effectively reduced DOMS in the participants.
4. Increases flexibility
The break up of fascia via foam rolling releases any friction that is built up in your body. Rolling regularly will increase your flexibility and will not allow the build up to curtail your workout. In fact, being equipped with great flexibility will allow you to maximize your full potential during training.
5. Decreases the risk of injury
Consistent foam rolling will decrease the risk of injury due to the improvement of range of motion, improvement in flexibility and alleviation of muscle tension. When you are assisting your muscle's recovery via myofascial release you are less likely to injure yourself.
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