Foam Roller for Wellness at home

I bet you have seen these foam rollers lying around at the gym because they have become very popular lately. They were used only by professional athletes, coaches and therapists before but have become a tool for people of every age and fitness level now.

The purpose of those rollers is “self-myofascial release” which is a fancy term for “self-massage to release muscle tightness”. By applying pressure to specific points on your body, you relax the muscles and in doing so help them to recover faster.

The benefits of foam rolling are:

• Reestablishing proper movement patterns
• Better muscle elasticity
• Releasing muscle pain
• Faster muscle recovery
• Better performance
• Higher flexibility
• Lowering injury risk for tendons and muscles

To foam roll properly, take the positions shown in the photographs and slowly start rolling. When you find areas that are tight or painful, pause for several seconds and relax as much as possible. After 5-30 seconds the discomfort or pain should lessen. If an area feels too painful, take some of the weight away by using your hands for support or shift the roller and apply pressure on the surrounding area, gradually working your way to the knot. The goal is to restore healthy muscles – it is not a pain tolerance test! You may also use other objects to work on muscles. Tennis balls are great for the lower back area.

Never roll a joint or bone. If you have neck pain, refer to a medical professional since this area can be more sensitive. You may feel a little sore the next day which is normal. Wait 24-48 hours before working the same area again.

Back

Gluteus (buttock) and legs

IT-Band (outer legs)

Quadriceps (front legs)