Benefits Of A Foam Roller For Tight Muscles

Using foam rollers to self massage can have several benefits. The first one is cost; you can get similar results of a sports massage without the expense and time of making an appointment, going there and sitting until it’s your turn and then paying up at the end of the session. Sports massages can cost quite a bit with prices at the lower end ranging from $60-$80 per hour and higher end prices at luxury spas may run as high as $300 per hour session.

Meanwhile a foam roller that you can use in your own home in your free time whenever you have a spare ten or fifteen minutes costs anywhere from $20-$40. Big difference there in time and money, but let”s look at the important aspect of the foam roller, the physical benefits. Foam rollers help to stretch muscles and tendons and breaks down soft tissue adhesions and scar tissue. Simple exercises that utilize your own body weight with a cylindrical foam roller allow you to perform a self-massage or myofascial release, break up trigger points, and soothe tight fascia and also helps to stimulate blood flow and circulation to the soft tissues.

The myofascia is made up of several components including the superficial fascia, which is a soft connective tissue located just below the skin that wraps and connects the muscles, bones, nerves and blood vessels of the body. Together, muscle and fascia make up what is called the myofascia system.

Myofascial release is a technique that utilizes gentle but constant pressure on the soft tissue while applying traction to the fascia. This technique helps to soften and lengthen the fascia resulting in the breakdown of scar tissue and adhesions between the skin, muscles and bone. This technique has been shown to relieve pain from shin splints and IT band syndrome as well as improve flexibility and the joints range of motion.

Using foam rollers for self massage is an inexpensive method of achieving these benefits and with some experimentation you can find the best method for you to gain maximum effectiveness in the target areas. The newest style of foam roller, the Grid Foam Roller, has a unique design that allows for a more targeted trigger point self massage.

Trigger points are tiny knots that can develop in muscles when they are injured or overworked. They may cause local pain, headaches, neck and jaw pain, tennis elbow, and even carpal tunnel syndrome. Breaking down and loosening these trigger points with the Grid Foam Roller may help to relieve this pain and discomfort.

Any time after strenuous exercise the muscles tend to build up lactic acid and an after workout massage help to break this down and remove it from within the muscle tissue. This lactic acid buildup is what causes the pain and cramps associated with the strenuous exercise. Using the foam roller after exercising is an excellent method of obtaining an all-over body massage to help break down this lactic acid buildup and prevent these cramps.

Using the foam roller before a more strenuous workout can help to “pre-stretch” the tendons, ligaments and muscles which help to prevent injury. And besides all that, it just feels good. Everyone likes a good massage and when you can keep this little roller put up and get it out and use it whenever you have an extra few minutes to stretch and massage yourself then why not?

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HealthStatus has been operating since 1998 providing the best interactive health tools on the Internet, millions of visitors have used our blood alcohol, body fat and calories burned calculators. The HealthStatus editorial team has continued that commitment to excellence by providing our visitors with easy to understand high quality health content for many years. Our team of health professionals, and researchers use peer reviewed studies as source elements in our articles. Our high quality content has been featured in a number of leading websites, USA Today, the Chicago Tribune, Live Strong, GQ, and many more.

karan zale
28. January 2019
karan zale
28. January 2019
Thanks for sharing these tips and totally agree with you on this. This is the last thing i bought for back pain. However, you have to give it time to cure you back as its time consuming process but worth it.

Ana
22. March 2018
Ana
22. March 2018
I am really interesting I read this complete article and now I can buy foam rollers without any hesitation thanks a lot Healthstatus.

Neeta K
21. May 2017
Neeta K
21. May 2017
Interesting ! I haven't heard about foam rollers so far. Seems they work decently. I think they can be given a try, considering they are pretty inexpensive :-)

Peter
18. May 2017
Peter
18. May 2017
Foam rolling is amazing and I'm surprised at how many people don't know about it. Such a great way to ease muscle pains and tension, especially right after a workout. There are too many benefits to foam rolling to mention, but I always feel so much better after a quick 10 to 15 minute session. I've also recently gotten into theracanes, which is another awesome self-massage tool!

Richard
9. January 2017
Richard
9. January 2017
This is definitely a great tip. I myself have been using foam rollers and it has saved me hundreds of dollars.

Monica
10. November 2016
Monica
10. November 2016
Since reading your article I have been using foam rollers at the gym. I have been a migraine and tension headache sufferer for years and since using the rollers I have experienced less headaches. It has also improved my ability to recover after training.

Paul
5. September 2016
Paul
5. September 2016
Read about this foam roller I think is great! Is like a massage, specially for you.. Please read it ok!???

Stewart
6. March 2016
Stewart
6. March 2016
Thank you soo much. I fitness guy on twitter led me to this. I have been wondering if you could roll the whole body and my lats and back have always been tight. Time to roll!!!?

Elizabeth
14. February 2016
Elizabeth
14. February 2016
Thanks for sharing these tips and totally agree with you on this! I think foam rollers are the last thing I bought for myself and how I wish I bought it soon!

Ellen
16. December 2015
Ellen
16. December 2015
Hi Healthstatus, Wow! I'm so amazed by how beneficial foam roller is. I hope I can also use this stuff. Thank you so much for sharing this article. It really gives me additional knowledge about what equipment to be used in exercising that can be beneficial for the body. This article is really helpful. Thanks again!

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Written by HealthStatus Team
Medical Writer & Editor

HealthStatus has been operating since 1998 providing the best interactive health tools on the Internet, millions of visitors have used our blood alcohol, body fat and calories burned calculators. The HealthStatus editorial team has continued that commitment to excellence by providing our visitors with easy to understand high quality health content for many years. Our team of health professionals, and researchers use peer reviewed studies as source elements in our articles. Our high quality content has been featured in a number of leading websites, USA Today, the Chicago Tribune, Live Strong, GQ, and many more.

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