The benefits of foam rolling are equally as valuable as part of a rehabilitation program and muscle care as part of an exercise routine.
As a Massage therapist and Osteopath I understand the benefits of foam rolling at home in addition to professional sessions for fast effective results. Research has shown us we don’t only have to exercise to take care of our muscles but also care for our muscles before and after exercising.
So what are the benefits of Foam rolling?
The action of foam rolling disrupts the body’s nervous system interrupting the pain signal and therefore the pain. This works in the same way as rubbing your knee if you bumped it.
Foam rolling also encourages blood flow to the affected area and aids any chemicals dispersion which maybe causing inflation. The increased blood flow encourages the regeneration and / or repair phase of any muscle damage. Foam rolling can also help during the restructuring of scar tissue after the regeneration and repair phase of a muscle injury.
A foam roller targets any sore spots in the muscle or myofascial and offer myofascial relief. When the pain intensity increases while the roller passes a certain point in the muscle it is time to stop the foam roller and apply more pressure to allow the muscle to accelerate its repair. This technique in massage is called “trigger pointing”
Foam rolling redistributes water to dehydrated muscles and the soft tissue around it called the fascial.
If you are experiencing pain when you foam roll is important to foam roll no more than every 48 hours which gives the muscles time to benefit from the rolling. However, if you are using foam rolling as a part of a maintenance routine you can roll every day paying particular attention to roll after exercise to prevent muscle tightness.
