FOAM ROLLING 101

The amount of time I’ve seen some people spend on a foam roller (way too long), you would think their workout split is push/pull/foam roll. Let’s dive into what foam rolling does, what it does not do, how it works and how we can optimize our results.⠀

Based on research Foam Rolling DOES:

  • Increase range of motion for a short time (<10 mins)

  • Decrease delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) when used post-workout

  • Using gravity and bodyweight can force movement into the spine

Based on research Foam Rolling does NOT:

  • Break adhesions or knots in your fascia (takes over 9000N of force to influence fascia 1%)

  • Increase (or decrease) muscle performance

Based on theory and some research we believe that foam rolling works like massage in the sense that it decreases neurological tone in the muscle.  Decreasing tone allows for greater tissue extensibility.

This massage type  mechanism may also help improve blood flow which is why it helps prevent DOMS. (Needs more research)

foam rolling

Optimize your foam rolling routine:

  1. Start and end your workout with no more than 5 minutes (MAX)
  2. Use it in conjunction with passive and active stretching with loading, as this will yield longer lasting results as far as tissue extensibility goes.
Happy Rolling!

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?Cheatham SW, et al. The effects of self-myofascial release :Int J Sports Physiology