Using a firm foam roller is a great strategy to reduce muscle pain that occurs after training, as it helps to release and decrease tension in fascias, which are tissues that line muscles, thus increasing flexibility and combating pain caused by physical exercise.
These rollers must be firm and contain pulls around you in order to massage your muscles deeper, but there are also softer rollers that have a smoother surface that are perfect for increasing blood circulation before training, as a means of heating. and also for softer and more relaxing massages at the end of a light workout when there is no pain.
- Its use is very simple and the benefits are great.
- In general it is recommended to place the roller on the ground and use the weight of your own body to press the area you want to massage taking care of stimulating any muscle that is sore.
- Until you find the point of greatest pain.
- Insisting with small movements from the face back in this painful place.
The deep massage time for each area should be 5 to 7 minutes and the decrease in pain can be felt immediately after use and is gradual, so the next day you will have even less pain but it is important to avoid rolling on bone surfaces. elbows or knees.
To combat pain that occurs in your knee after running, for example, called iliotibial band syndrome, you should place yourself exactly as shown in the image above and use your body weight to slide the roller. lateral extension of the thigh for at least 3 minutes. When you find a specific painful spot near your knee, use the roller to massage that point for another 4 minutes.
To combat pain in the back of the thigh, after a workout in the gym, for example, you should stay in the position above the image and let the body weight slide the roller throughout the hamstring area from the end. This stimulus will decrease muscle pain and greatly increase the ability to stretch in the back of the body and a good test that can demonstrate this advantage is to stretch the hamstrings before and after deep massage.
To stretch, simply stand with your feet apart at hip height and tilt your body forward trying to place your hands (or forearms) on the floor, keeping your legs always straight.
Calf pain is common after training in the gym and also during the race and a great way to relieve this discomfort is to let the roller slide along the entire length of the muscles from the twin legs to the Achilles heel. Let the roller slide on both legs at the same time, but for deeper work, do so with one leg at a time and at the end, take the time to stretch the front of the leg while maintaining the position shown in the image above. for approximately 30 seconds to 1 minute with each leg.
Sliding the roller throughout the back area is very comforting and helps overcome the pain caused by physical exercise and even after a bad night’s sleep, when you wake up with back pain, just stay in the position shown in the picture and let the roller slide from the neck to the start of the buttocks. As the back area is larger, you should insist on this massage for about 10 minutes.
It is possible to buy foam rollers as shown in the images in sporting goods stores, rehabilitation stores and also on the Internet and the price varies depending on the size, thickness and strength of the product, but varies between 100 and 250 reais.
In addition to being ideal for repairing injuries, increasing flexibility and fighting after training, the Foam Roller can also be used to practice exercises that strengthen the abdominal and lower spine muscles and also increase balance, so they are widely used in training classes. Yoga and Pilates.