Foam roller, a self-massage tool, is increasingly used in fitness, Pilates and physiotherapy to improve strength, flexibility and balance. It can also be used for myofascial massage and self-acupressure.
Let’s see what you can benefits from a foam roller:
- Improve Blood Circulation:
Good circulation is crucial to overall health as blood carries oxygen throughout our bodies. A decrease in our circulation can lead to a whole host of problems. Foam rolling can help improve blood circulation by breaking up the tight areas where blood flow may become restricted. - Improved Flexibility & Joint Range of Motion
Foam roller exercises before an activity can lead to an increase in flexibility and joint range of motion. One recent study in the Journal of Sports Rehabilitation found that foam rolling can increase range of motion in the hip more than stretching alone. It can make the muscle less resistant to motion and therefore more flexible.You can accomplish this by slowly rolling your spine against a foam roller and pausing whenever you feel restrictions to allow your joints and surrounding tissues to stretch. - Reduce Exercise-Related Soreness
If you are an experienced athlete, you must have experience delayed onset muscle soreness for times. The pain and stiffness in your muscles can often set in anywhere from 1-2 days after an intense workout. Even you are new to fitness and sports, you’ve probably suffered from that kind of soreness.A recent study from Canada linked foam rolling to less muscle soreness, better vertical leap and greater flexibility. So let’s say foam roller can substantially reduce the changes of that kind of soreness creeping in. - Reduce Stress
Foam rolling is a great way to proactively work stress out of the body. It allows us to access hard to reach spots, like the shoulders and hips, where we usually carry our tension. A study has found myofascial release can lower cortisol, your stress hormone that you want to seriously dial down after a strenuous workout. - Prevent Injury
Oftentimes injuries can be avoided through a consistent routine of proper stretching techniques combined with foam roller workouts. Treating an injury is much easier when you avoid it in the first place. You can use a foam roller to prevent many injuries associated with tightness and overuse.
How Does A Foam Roller Work
How a foam roller works is simple enough — you use your own body weight and agility to roll specific muscle groups against a firm foam roller to mimic a deep, gliding massage.
With such a foam roller, you can control how much pressure you apply to the tissues that you’re working on. You can locate and focus on areas that are problematic as well.
If you already have one foam roller, you can download this workout guide and start rolling.
If you haven’t a foam roller yet, you can get one here.