Tuesday, January 14, 2014

FOAM ROLLING: A LOVE-HATE RELATIONSHIP

Foam rolling, is a self myo-fascial release technique that you may or may not be familiar with. If you are an active individual who loves to workout and stay healthy then you may want to consider buying a foam roller. A foam roller is a very inexpensive piece of equipment that has tremendous benefit for the body. Within the body we develop trigger points, which are tiny sensitive spots that can cause pain or tightness. Trigger points pop up in the body due to poor posture, a previous injury and the fact that we have become a society that sits way too much. If you do not manage these trigger points then they can alter movement, which may lead to injury. By using a foam roller we can desensitize these trigger points and restore normal length to our muscle, allowing them to function normally again.


Prior to working out, the foam roller is an excellent way to get your body prepared for the stress it is about to endure. If a joint does not move, it is very important to look at the muscles above and below the joint. If you are experiencing pain in the knee, I would suggest foam rolling your quads as well as your hip flexors. Another solution would be to look at the muscles that surround your ankle. If your ankle lacks mobility then it can cause added stress to your knee. Foam rolling your calves is a great way to increase ankle mobility and help ease anterior knee pain.

Trae Toliver
Under Armour Elite Trainer
Owner of Xplosive Sports Academy

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