foam roller vs massage

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  • FoxyMcDeadlift
    FoxyMcDeadlift Posts: 771 Member
    Bump for later
  • snkeller24
    snkeller24 Posts: 459
    Will read ... however I love a good foam roll ...
  • chezmoss
    chezmoss Posts: 79 Member
    Bumping!
  • leestanley3
    leestanley3 Posts: 38 Member
    Foam rolling is for myo-fascial release, massage can be for a multiple of reasons. If you are tight in and around a specific area then foam rolling may loosen off the sheath around the muscle and increase blood flow to the area, if you are looking for something deeper I would always see a specialst.

    Most foam rollers are great for IT band, ham glute, gastroc tightness. But lets not think this is anywhere near as good as some hands on!!

    Foam rolling is a self-myofascial release (SMR) technique that is used by athletes and physical therapists to inhibit overactive muscles. This form of stretching utilizes the concept of autogenic inhibition to improve soft tissue extensibility, thus relaxing the muscle and allowing the activation of the antagonist muscle.

    Massage is the working of superficial and deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue using various techniques, to enhance function, aid in the healing process, and promote relaxation and well-being.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,249 Member
    Quickly scanned the article & my answer is both (but I cheat a little - my massage therapist taught me how to use the foam roller & tennis ball properly)

    I started seeing a RMT last year for a specific issue (IT band) that I had been trying to self-treat for about 6 weeks with very limited success. After 2 sessions I was running again.

    For those of you who haven't used therapeutic massage yet - this isn't the nice little shoulder rub you get a spa or give your wife after a stressful day. You come out feeling like you were hit by a truck (and actually pay someone to do this to you) but after about 24 hrs you feel so good, your body also acclimates to it after a few sessions.

    As to the foam roller - most people may do a little roll back & forth for their quads or hamstrings, while it feels good it's of limited benefit. In a nutshell, to obtain the maximum benefit you want to do one leg at a time (trying to put as much weight on the roller as you can) and roll slowly - when you hit a spot that feels tighter you stop for a while and keep pressure on it (yes- it is supposed to be uncomfortable).

    Thanks for posting this.
  • snkeller24
    snkeller24 Posts: 459
    I have also had myofascial massages, which are great but simply not as relaxing in a sense. There was a lot of getting up and comparing my shoulders (one was higher then the other) I've had it done for my back/shoulders as well as hip flexors.

    I do like in the article there's a link to a PDF showing examples and explanations of areas, tools to use, and the muscles function. It was helpful - while some I knew there were others I didn't.
  • glpennington
    glpennington Posts: 14
    Thanks for the article. I listen to the Fitcast on my iPod and they spend a lot of time talking about foam roller benifits, but it took me forever to figure out what they were talking about.

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