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Foam Rolling: The Need For Myofascial Release
Health | May 20, 2014
Myofascial release is just a fancy way of saying deep tissue massage. Deep tissue massage is not only therapeutic, it is also a necessary form of maintenance for our active bodies alongside stretching and mobility work. Of course, most of us can’t afford to nor have the time to visit a qualified massage therapist a few times a week, never mind on a daily basis. Enter the foam roller. This seemingly simple device addresses and opens up tight spots and trigger points (trigger points are commonly referred to as ‘knots’ by massage therapists) on our bodies that cause pain, muscular imbalances, and mobility issues. Using a foam roller is an increasingly popular and effective way among active people and athletes to provide myofascial release on one’s own.
A foam roller is simply a hard piece of cylindrical foam that one uses to roll over muscles by allowing it to move back and forth under the pressure of one’s own bodyweight. It works best on the lower extremities such as the glutes, calves, quads and hamstrings. It’s also highly effective along the IT band that exists on the side of our legs. Tight IT bands contribute to a lot of pain and discomfort in other areas such as the knees for athletes and active people alike.
As with deep-tissue massage, foam rolling can be quite painful. Bear in mind your own threshold for pain and discomfort, but don’t go too easy on yourself either. Often the more tight and painful an area is, the more necessary it becomes to address it with some kind of therapeutic massage. The constant pressure that myofascial release creates in our musculature ultimately allows them to relax and loosen up, providing greater mobility and reducing pain.
Myofascial release is not only about addressing tight, restricted muscles, it’s also about prevention and longevity. It’s easy to overlook things like stretching and massage. They are not as transformative or as fun as working out can be. However, they are necessary aspects of wellbeing that allow us to continue working out to the best of our abilities and remain free of aches and injuries well into our rocking chairs.
Private Member |
HI Zuzka,
The foam roller is great, but what I’ve found even more effective is to work out trigger points in the body and usually they require more concentrated pressure rather than the big surface of the foam roller, which is really great for the length or width of the back, your IT bands, as you have mentioned.
I have found when I get rid of trigger points, which are basically knots in the fascia, muscles, tendons, etc., that until you get rid of these, it will impeded stretching, range of motion, flexibility.
When a person over uses certain muscles or stress build up, emotional issue build up, injuries, over use in exercise (like not having enough variety) or illness can all set up trigger points in various parts of the body.
Clair Davies has written 3 editions of the Trigger Point Therapy Workbook that shows a person how to self treat and what all the points are from head to toe with diagrams, pain areas, how to treat them, diagnosis, explanations as to how it could have occurred, or what to do to get rid of and avoid.
I was periodically having chest pains like what I thought was a heart attack, and it turned out I had trigger points in the center of my chest and when I worked them out, the pains never came back there.
I got rid of sciatic pain, plantar fascitis, carpal tunnel, headaches, various back issues, lower back pain, and more.
Through identifying various trigger points, I was able to do your Lifted Butt Series without injury and do all 20 workouts. That is a first because usually I injure myself in some way within the first two weeks.
I’ve been getting dizzy and nauseated for years doing any sit up type motions and have to substitute some of your sit up type exercises with other ones that don’t make me sick. I think because I store so much stress in my neck/shoulder areas that it’s somewhere in that area (trigger points) that I need to get rid of to cure me of this problem I’ve had all my adult life and even from childhood.
It’s not fun to work out the trigger points, but I definitely appreciate when the trigger point is gone. The most recent one I found and worked on was in the center of my neck, which was causing me like a heaviness on my shoulders neck area and it took a few days to work out and now I can turn my head a full 180 degrees, whereas before, maybe like 150.
Thanks for all the information you provide and I think you should check out trigger points and this would be a great thing to have in your arsenal to help give better health.
God bless you!
Doris
Private Member |
Thank you Zuzka i will get one and use them on my lower body after stretching xoxoxox
Private Member |
Hi Zuzka,
I just wanted to let you know that Myofascial Release and Deep Tissue massage are not the same things. I am a Licensed Massage Therapist, so it is my job to know. Myofacial Release is not done with deep pressure, it is done with gentle pressure to free up the layers of fascia over the different muscle groups. In doing Myofascial Release, it breaks up the fascia over the muscles and allows for the muscles to contract more indepndantly, and also will improve range of motion. Deep Tissue Massage is massage with deeper pressure, so as to release knots or tension in the deeper lying muscles. That said, I have been following you for a few years, and I love the workouts and info that you share with everyone. I know you would want your followers to be properly educated on the topic.
Private Member |
I’d love to see a stretching or cooldown video of you with a foam roller. I’ve been considering getting one for a while.
Private Member |
Thank you for this article, never thought of using a foam roller, or the benefits it can have. By the way, I’ve been using you first cooldown routine for 14 days now along with your workouts, and I’m already seeing small flexibility improvements 🙂
Private Member |
I WONDERED if you ever get knots!!
Private Member |
Zuzka, could you please make a video on foam rolling? I could use a template. I bought one and am not sure what to do with it and a video would be very helpful.
Private Member |
canada
I was just going to request the same thing! I too bought one, but don’t really know what I’m doing. 😉
Private Member |
I know this is an old post but I am just getting back after a very long time away due to an injury. I work in a Crossfit Gym and a trainer suggested foam rolling regularly, like every other day or atleast every workout (can’t workout daily yet). The suggestion sparked a little argument between a few trainers and I would like to know how often it is suggested to foam roll. And as Brianna said, a video would be awesome!