Foam Rolling

A foam roller is a cylindrical piece of exercise equipment used to administer self-massage by applying direct pressure between it and the muscles of the body. It can be used as means of relaxing overly tight or “knotted” areas within muscle tissue and, along with regular stretching, is a useful aid in developing good flexibility and in preventing or treating injury.

Rollers are available in various sizes, densities, and surface profiles. If your muscles are particularly tight or tender, you may want to start with a roller that offers a longer length and some degree of softness. For more advanced users, rollers such as the trigger point release variety (as shown in our demonstration below) are short in length, have a high density and have a prominent surface profile, which facilitates deep tissue manipulation.

Home or gym-based environments offer an ideal location for foam rolling, with sessions ideal as a means of post-exercise recovery, as an add-on to a stretch routine, or in isolation to work on a particularly tight area of the body. Assume the required position on the roller and use controlled, sweeping movements along the entire length of the muscle, stopping to focus on particularly sensitive areas with shorter, more localised movements. Aim for 10 – 20 passes along a muscle. Initially, foam rolling can be quite an uncomfortable action, sometimes even painful. However, through regular application, discomfort will diminish and in doing so, your muscles will be improving in health and functionality.