Foam Rolling

As part of the rehab for my recent knee injury, I’ve bought myself a foam roller and have since been diligently foam rolling every day.

Essentially foam rolling is a self-massage technique that should help relieve knots in muscles and fascia. We all know that riders in the Tour de France finish every day with a cool down and a professional massage. Whilst it would be lovely to be able to have a personal sports masseuse on hand at the end of every training session and race, along with the private gym / spa and my own endless pool, finances dictate that this just isn’t possible. Foam rolling is the next best thing allowing me to self-massage whenever I want.

A Foam Roller is simple a cylindrical piece of foam that you roll along your muscles and fascia tissue. As you do so you can find areas that are sore known as ‘trigger points’ and then roll back and forth over that area helping to relieve any tension in these areas in a process known as ‘self myofascial release’.

The physio I went to see said that my knee injury may have been caused by tight quads and a very tight IT Band and recommended foam rolling and stretching these areas in particular. Whilst doing so I’ve also been foam rolling other areas. Certain muscles / areas tend to respond well to foam rolling, these inclue the calves, hamstrings, quads, IT bands and the glutes. You can also foam roll your adductors and shoulders and arms.

I’ve been using the foam roller on my legs. There are a few trigger points in my calves that I’ve been rolling. My hamstrings and quads generally feel OK, but its the IT bands where it really gets me. To start with rolling them with any degree of pressure was complete agony. I’ve stuck with it though and it does seem to be becoming less painful. I’m not sure if I’m getting used to the pain, the roller itself has softened a little or if the rolling has actually improved the flexibility of my IT band and eased off any trigger points but I can now roll my IT bands with a little more weight on them. It still hurts a fair bit sometimes but hopefully it is doing some good.

As far as the knee goes. Well, it is beginning to feel a little stronger and doesn’t really hurt anymore but I shall lay off running on it for at least another week I think. Meanwhile my ankle is playing up a little, but that has never been right since I tore some ligaments in it last year.

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Alan Cole

Alan is a Freelance Website Designer, Sports & Exercise Science Lab Technician and full time Dad & husband with far too many hobbies: Triathlete, Swimming, Cycling, Running, MTBing, Surfing, Windsurfing, SUPing, Gardening, Photography.... The list goes on.