I’m sure you’ve seen a foam roller in the gym lately. Just in case you haven’t, a foam roller is simply a cylindrical piece of extruded hard-celled foam, which can vary in densities.
There are many different application techniques, which are simple to use.

The use of foam rollers is based on the concept of acupressure in which pressure is placed on specific surfaces of the body. The use of foam rollers has progressed from an acupressure approach to self-massage.

The roller should be used to apply pressure to sensitive areas in muscles-sometimes called trigger points, knots, or areas of increased muscle density. The idea is to allow people to apply pressure to injury-prone areas themselves. The roller is usually used to apply sweeping strokes to the long muscle groups like the calves, adductors, and quadriceps, and small directed force to areas like the TFL, IT Band, hip rotators, and gluteus medius.

The feel of the roller and intensity of the self-massage should be properly geared to the age, comfort, and fitness level of the person using the roller. There is no universal agreement on when to roll, how often to roll, or how long to roll, but generally, techniques are used both before and after a workout. Foam rolling prior to a workout can help decrease muscle density and promote a better warmup. Rolling after a workout may help muscles recover from strenuous exercise.
One of the nice things about using the foam roller is that it can be done on a daily basis.
How long to use the roller is also determined on a case-by-case basis. I usually allow five to 10 minutes for soft tissue work for both pre- and post-workout routines.
Assessing Effectiveness

Foam rolling is hard work that can even border on being painful. Good massage work, and correspondingly good self-massage work, may be uncomfortable, much like stretching. Therefore, it is important that you learn to distinguish between a moderate level of discomfort related to working a trigger point or tight muscle and a discomfort that can lead to injury.

General Rule of Thumb: When you are done rolling, you should feel better, not worse. And the rollers should never cause bruising.

For continued pain free exercising Foam Rollers can be ordered at www.waterandsportspt.com or other sporting goods provider(s). If you have further questions or need further instruction please don’t hesitate to contact your Physical Therapy or Exercise Specialist today!!

Kevin Pansky, PT, DPT performed his educational background at Whittier College where he was a first team all conference and western region NCAA Div. III athlete in Baseball while earning his Bachelor’s Degree in Kinesiology. He then continued his education at The University of Southern California (Ranked #1 by US News and World Report) where he graduated with his Doctorate in Physical Therapy. Kevin takes great pride in his communication and manual skills to get his patients full recovery while making the Physical Therapy experience fun. Kevin has been trained to work with both Neurological and Orthopedic patients. Kevin performs advanced techniques for patients suffering from pain, Numbness and Tingling, dizziness, Headaches, and muscle weakness. His areas of special interest include cervical spine, Thoracic Spine, Shoulder, soft tissue mobilization, foot and ankle biomechanics assessments, orthotic fabrication, and water therapy exercises. He is a member of both the APTA (American Physical Therapy Association) and CPTA (California Physical Therapy Association). With his extensive knowledge, well-rounded skills and compassion, Kevin will be a great Therapist for you.