We live in a day and age where owning a foam roller is becoming a necessity especially for those people who can’t live without deep tissue massages at home. A foam roller, after all, is scientifically shown to reduce muscle stiffness and relieve tension. However, not everyone knows how to use it correctly.
If you own a foam roller or thinking of buying one then avoid committing these common foam rolling mistakes so you can get the most out of this compact muscle recovery item:
1. Doing it way too fast and starting in the wrong place
Rolling too fast and using the wrong pressure can cause you more pain than comfort that’s why it’s always best to use your foam roller in a less aggressive manner. Slowly but surely is a good approach so that you won’t overwhelm your muscles. It will also work to your advantage if you start foam rolling from your least tense/sensitive area before focusing on tighter areas. Doing it this way will give your muscles enough time to process, relax, and get the hang of the foam roller sensation.
2. You tend to stay too long on certain areas/trigger points
We get it. Some areas are tenser than others but that’s not really an excuse to stay on these areas for more than a minute. Overdoing it might make things worse and that’s not what you want to get out of your foam rolling sessions.
The experience should make you feel a certain type of discomfort but in a good way. However, if the pain you’re experiencing is beyond your tolerance levels then you definitely need to step back and assess if you injured yourself or made an existing condition worse. Excruciating pain is not normal and you need to seek help from a medical professional once it occurs.
3. Foam rolling inappropriate areas
There are certain body parts that you should stay away from during your foam roller sessions. This includes your neck, lower back, and pubis region. “There isn’t enough dense muscle tissue in these areas for rolling to be safe and effective.”, according to James Shapiro, a corrective exercise specialist, and personal trainer.
Another body part that you shouldn’t even bother with is your iliotibial band (IT band) since this multipurpose fibrous tissue can’t be loosened and stretched. Same goes with areas like ankles, shoulder blades and other bony spots in your pelvis and hips according to Fei Jiang, P.T., D.P.T., O.C.S., of Providence Saint John’s Health Center’s Performance Therapy.
4.Using it daily
If you think that daily foam rolling will lead to more positive results then you’re definitely wrong. Repeated foam roller exposure on a daily basis can do your body more harm than good and this is the reason why we don’t recommend it. For best results, use your foam roller every other day or two since you need to give your muscles time to heal as well.
Looking for a high-quality foam roller these days isn’t that hard. Everyone from beginners up to experienced athletes can definitely benefit from the ailment relief that foam rolling can provide when used properly.
Using a foam roller may not seem that complicated, but lack of proper knowledge and the wrong assumption can sabotage the recovery process or make one’s suffering worse.
If you want to effectively experience the different benefits of foam rolling then keep in mind these common foam rolling mistakes so you can use proper technique during your foam roller sessions from here on out.
Looking for a foam roller that provides relief from ailments such as muscle pain, plantar fasciitis, sciatica and general back pain? Check out our superb quality 100% EVA foam rollers today!
References:
https://www.self.com/story/foam-rolling-mistakes-you-should-avoid
https://www.shape.com/fitness/tips/common-foam-rolling-mistakes-how-foam-roll-correctly