Foam Rolling

born_of_fire74

My massage therapist/physiotherapist has told me to add foam rolling to my normal stretching routine. She thinks it will help loosen my calves up in particular so I am giving it a go but, HOLY GOD, the foam roller belongs in the annals of history along alongside thumbscrews, the rack, and the iron maiden. I cannot believe how painful it is!! I actually thought I was fairly flexible. The foam roller laughs at me kidding myself.

Anyone else foam roll? Does it always hurt this friggin' much? Did it help with your overall flexibility and mobility? How long before you noticed changes? Do you feel the terrible agony is worth the gains?

I'm trying really hard to stick to the recommendation as I've been working with this therapist for a long time. She's gotten me through a knee injury, a back injury and three serious car accidents over the years but I'm on the verge of wussing out here. Any encouragement from people that enjoy foam rolling would be most helpful. Or, if you find it as torturous as I do, maybe we can whine together and commiserate with one another. LOL

rileysowner

Yes it hurts. Yes is helps. Stick will it, as things loosen up you will find it somewhat less painful, and it is beneficial.

apullum

Yup, welcome to the world of foam rolling I can't do it for more than a minute or two at a time, but I've found that it really helps with my tight quads/IT band. My knee hurts when that area tightens up, so foam rolling is surprisingly helpful. My physical therapist suggested that I use a rolling pin at first. That didn't hurt as much because it was easier to control how much pressure I was exerting. You can also use a tennis ball for small areas.

Erik8484

I used to not be able to deadlift or squat due to a lower back / glute injury. Foam rolling cured me.

It definitely hurt like hell for a while, but it feels better over time. These days (years later) it's almost a nice feeling. Stick with it, you won't regret it (eventually).

bbell1985

I foam roll when I have an issue or feel one coming on. I don't get to the gym and immediately get down on the floor like some people lol. It works well if I start feeling my hip flexors getting too tight. I really like a lacrosse ball better for any of that though.

dbanks80

I use it everyday and I love how it feels. The first time I used it I thought I was going to cry. Use it everyday and your muscles will get used to it.

I find that my range of motion is much better and I am not tight anymore.

ABabilonia

Just like Erik I had back problems before (a pinch nerve), and I couldn't run more than 5 minutes at the time. I started to do foam rolling and now I can easily run 15 minutes with no problems. I agree with you, though, foam rolling is painful at first, but it will get better.

MagneticGanymede

I use the foam roller on my legs. My PT used what felt like a rolling pin on me for a few weeks. Significantly decreased the knee pain I was experiencing! Rolling hurt so bad at first I had to take deep breaths to get through it but it doesn't hurt now.

canadianlbs

i bought pvc pipe when i started out, because too chintzy to pay 60 bucks for some fancy-pants roller with yoga karma or the tears of kittens or whatever they put into them to make them so expensive.

now i still own the pvc, a 'normal' roller, and one of those knobbly rumble things. not to mention the various balls. it does hurt at least somewhat, but at least one trainer i talked to said there's no benefit in bruising the tissues just for the sake of saying you're foam rolling them. so i like to do a combination of pin-and-stretch, most of the time. or just a static hold until a super-touchy spot settles down.

they are great, but i guess i don't see them as the universal cure or anything. they're an element in the process, more like.

FFeric

It will get easier and less painful. The tennis ball is great for point tenderness in the shoulder blades and glutes.

ronocnikral

I also use a roll recovery 8. But, foam rolling is amazing. I think I'll get mine out now actually....

Asher_Ethan

Foam rolling gets easier. I foam roll in front of the tv at night's when I feel a little sore.

bebeisfit

My friend's son who is a football player uses it before and after exercise and swears by it. Mine sits in the corner collecting dust. One of those things I 'know' I should use..but don't.

perfekta

I just started it in in my third PT office after a shoulder surgery. WOW. I really love the stretch it gets me, but yeah the pain is pretty intense. I thought I had a really high pain tolerance, but I make some pretty crazy faces, and have to bite my lip to not make weird noises in front of people

I just bought one for home so I continue the fun at home. Yeah it hurts, but I can't believe the difference it makes.

deannalfisher

foam roller of different widths, tennis ball, lacross ball, roll recovery 8 and a massage stick are all is use in my house - all target different areas

plus my massage therapist (specializes in myofasical release) for those hard to get spots

rainbowbow

I always tell my clients "foam rolling is mildly painful especially when you start... about a 7 out of 10".

And then they are like "HOW IS A 7 MILDLY PAINFUL!"

hahaha, it's the little things in life...

not_a_runner

If it hurts, it probably means you really need to do it lol. That's been my experience any way.
If I get really tight I prefer to get a massage initially so all I have to do is lay there and try not to cry. I would never go at it that hard with a foam roller because it's so much easier to say "nope that's enough" when you're working on painful areas yourself.
It will get better if you keep up on it. I try to foam roll between massages, especially if I have areas that have been bothering me or I know there is a knot there. I feel so much better since I've been getting massages and foam rolling regularly. Definitely worth it.

JoRocka

yes it hurts- and the worse it hurts- the odds are the more you need it.

There are definitely multiple types of foam rollers- so get a softer one and a harder one (giggity)

I have 2 plus tennis balls- and a LAX ball.

Start gently- use your body to help you so you aren't 100% of the weight on the tissue- it'll help.

Madwife2009

Can I just jump in here and ask if there are any recommendations as to which type to get? My physio recommended foam rolling as I have a really tight deep muscle in the back of my calf (preventing full movement of my leg, I can't remember the name of the muscle) but I didn't ask her which type to get.

deannalfisher

Madwife2009 wrote: »

Can I just jump in here and ask if there are any recommendations as to which type to get? My physio recommended foam rolling as I have a really tight deep muscle in the back of my calf (preventing full movement of my leg, I can't remember the name of the muscle) but I didn't ask her which type to get.

psoas muscle? I have one that is just a dense foam (and looks like it) and one that is a harder compressed rubber type foam roller - my physical therapist just used one of the dense foam ones

JoRocka

Madwife2009 wrote: »

Can I just jump in here and ask if there are any recommendations as to which type to get? My physio recommended foam rolling as I have a really tight deep muscle in the back of my calf (preventing full movement of my leg, I can't remember the name of the muscle) but I didn't ask her which type to get.

you may need more than one- I have a fully foam one- and I have a plastic core with an inch of foam around it- I use both.

The only big difference I have is the short ones I don't get as good of a roll out of - I prefer a longer roller.

If you need something heavier duty- skip an actual foam roller and go straight to the store to get a large diameter PVC pipe and go from there.

rainbowbow

Madwife2009 wrote: »

Can I just jump in here and ask if there are any recommendations as to which type to get? My physio recommended foam rolling as I have a really tight deep muscle in the back of my calf (preventing full movement of my leg, I can't remember the name of the muscle) but I didn't ask her which type to get.

I agree that you may need more than one.

If you're just starting and have never foam rolled than I'd start with a stiff (usually black) smooth roller.

If you've rolled before and know you need deep pressure or certain pressure types I personally own a ribbed medium density roller, a massage stick, a massage ball (about the size of a lacrosse ball), and a spiky roller ball (rumble roller beastie).

I also have used and recommend the theracane if you have issues in the upper back of need to hold points for long periods of time or have mobility issues (for example you can't position yourself on a roller).

JoRocka

^^ all of what @rainbowbow said

cwolfman13

I roll pretty much every day. I get really tight calves and IT band and gluteus medius...

I use a foam roller for my IT band and my hammies...I use a tiger tail for my calves...



and a lacrosse ball for my gluteus medius

rainbowbow

I need to get me a tiger tail massage stick now. I have a standard massage stick but it can definitely pinch my lil baby hairs.

jessiferrrb

it's beautiful torture. and imo worth it for the relief after.

TR0berts

rainbowbow wrote: »

I always tell my clients "foam rolling is mildly painful especially when you start... about a 7 out of 10".
...

This pain goes to 11.


But, yeah, it gets better.

JoRocka

cwolfman13 wrote: »

I roll pretty much every day. I get really tight calves and IT band and gluteus medius...

I use a foam roller for my IT band and my hammies...I use a tiger tail for my calves...



and a lacrosse ball for my gluteus medius

I'm glad they finally changed/expanded the design- I hate those plastic "bead" ones that roll on you- I can't stand that feeling or sound- and have consistently put off purchasing one b/c I didn't like that feeling.

deannalfisher

JoRocka wrote: »

cwolfman13 wrote: »

I roll pretty much every day. I get really tight calves and IT band and gluteus medius...

I use a foam roller for my IT band and my hammies...I use a tiger tail for my calves...



and a lacrosse ball for my gluteus medius

I'm glad they finally changed/expanded the design- I hate those plastic "bead" ones that roll on you- I can't stand that feeling or sound- and have consistently put off purchasing one b/c I didn't like that feeling.

can you still find the plastic beaded ones...it just depends on the manufacturer

mitch16

Foam rolling is a godsend! Stick with it--it gets easier/less painful and it really does help!

It's a bit addicting though--eventually you'll have to move up to the RumbleRoller to get the 'good' pain!

jdhcm2006

I have a hard fully foam roller, a plastic one that's ribbed and super hard, plus a lacrosse ball, and a yoga wheel. Everything makes me whimper like a puppy to the point that my cat comes and puts her paw on my shoulder to make sure I'm okay, lol.

I personally prefer the yoga wheel for my back. It stretches it out and actually cracks it, which is nice, but not my end goal. It has helped with my back flexibility a lot.

The foam roller has helped with my glutes and tight hamstrings a lot.

That tiger tail looks nice. I may have to invest in one of those. I use the ribbed foam roller for my calves.