Should I Be Foam Rolling?
A foam roller can be used to target sore muscles as a form of self-massage, improve the range of motion of your joints, improve muscular recovery and have even been shown to help enhance athletic performance. In terms of Physiotherapy, a roller is predominately used for self-myofascial release and improving the range of motion of your spine.
If you’ve got a sore back or neck and work in an office that has now been relocated to your home, chances are that a foam roller could help to reduce your pain. Prolonged sitting can make the middle of your spine stiff. When this is stiff, it places more stress on the joints in the neck during movement, placing them at an increased risk for an injury. Using a foam roller on your back has been shown to increase its range of motion, thus reducing the likelihood of a neck injury, and reduce pain in sore muscles.
Self-myofascial release is a fancy term for self-massage. Foam rolling helps to break up adhesions in the connective tissue of a muscle, enhance blood flow and decrease pain.
We are still open for consultations during COVID-19, with all the Government directed hygiene practises in place. Alternatively, we are providing TeleHealth consultations ; see our recent post on Telehealth effectiveness; so make sure you call the clinic to have a chat about what would suit you.
Johnson, K. D., & Grindstaff, T. L. (2012). Thoracic region self-mobilization: a clinical suggestion. International journal of sports physical therapy, 7(2), 252.