If you are a junior athlete, a foam roller is an important tool to have in your recovery kit.
There are varying suggestions surrounding the mechanism of what foam rolling does at a physiological level. These range from “lengthening muscle fascia” to “releasing trigger points” to “inhibiting the brain’s pain messages”. The reality is that nobody - really knows the exact mechanism behind its use, but many well-respected athletes and medical professionals swear by it.
Broadly speaking, there are three types of foam rolling:
- Foam rolling before sport. The foam roller can be used as a tool in part of your warmup and preparation for sport. This can give short term improvements in flexibility without a loss of strength (whereas static stretching has been shown to increase flexibility but reduced strength). Therefore, foam rolling is a good compliment to a dynamic stretching and warm up routine.
- Foam rolling after sport. Foam rolling post-game is thought to assist with recovery and reduction in muscle soreness.
- Foam rolling to assist in managing musculoskeletal pain or injuries. Foam rolling will not “fix” an injury, it is simply a tool in your recovery kit to combine with treatment from your health professional and a targeted rehabilitation plan.
There is no set evidence stating how long you should spend on your foam roller, but I would suggest that 1-2 minutes minimum on each targeted muscle group is a good starting point. For performance, doing this before and after sport is good, or if you have been prescribed this as part of your management plan for a specific injury, then doing this daily can be beneficial.
If you don’t have a foam roller, then maybe it’s time you reconsidered! If you would like specific guidance on how best to use your foam roller, then get in contact with your Physiotherapist.
This article is written by Tom Collier, Physiotherapist at Back In Motion Eltham.
If you would like further information on guidance on proper use of foam rollers or to enquire what we have in stock, please contact our practice on 9439 6776 to book in a consultation with Tom.