Foam Rolling your Legs

Do you suffer from sore knees?  or Hips?  Or lower back?  Do your legs feel tight?  Maybe you can try out a foam roller?  There are numerous health benefits from foam rolling or myofascial release as it is called in the fitness world.

“Knots” form in the muscles that stretching alone can not delete.  A foam roller or even just a hard tennis ball will do the trick! As you roll these “knots” out, you will feel relief in other areas of your body.  For example, many people have sore knees, especially when they run or walk downhill. That may be because the iliotibial band is tight between the hip and the knee.  As you loosen this up with a foam roller, tennis ball or even a deep tissue massage, your knee will feel better.

Foam rolling is great because it reaches a generalized area instead of just focusing on one area like you would with a tennis ball. You can also do it every day, unlike having a massage.

We all have movements that we do every day that causes constriction in our muscles.  It can be the way you sit at your desk.  The way that you sleep.  The way that you walk.  Or many other repeated movements.

When a muscle is “stuck” in a position for a repeated amount of times, it will start pulling the bones with it causing discomfort.  As you foam roll and iron out these tight muscles, you will get more blood flow where you need it!

You can purchase a foam roller on Amazon, at the Healthy Back Store, at your local Play it Again Sports and even at some local department stores like Marshalls or Target.  I would recommend that you get a 36″  x 6″ because there are some full body “massages” that feel great!

You can see a lower body demonstration and the “massage” that feels great by watching this short foam rolling video.