Foam Rollers: welcome to todays newbie question of the day.

[dburg30]

I see what they are, but is there any place that you suggest that shows you proper usage? Or do most come with decent instructions? More hype then help? etc etc. When do you use them? Just searching about foam rollers gets WAY too many choices and you just never know what is based on actual proper usage or someone just throwing something together.

So I thought I'd ask here where many of us are newer or just normal folks trying to get into shape and run injury free.

 

[Rose&Mike]

I use a foam roller mostly for my back, glutes and itband. It came with a video. I was told by my pt to stay off of my actual hip and knee (joint). When you are rolling on it and hit a tight spot you "sit" on that spot to break up the tightness in the muscle. I have a traditional foam roller at home and in my owner's locker I have one with a waffle pattern (trigger point) which is more effective, I think. Another good tool is a tennis ball--especially for back and glutes. The goal is prevention, but it is easy to get lazy and then I am pulling out the foam roller and tennis ball for pain relief. Good luck!

 

[mufasa0505]

I watched a couple of videos from Jenny Hadfield, and then looked up for my specific aches & pains.

 

[scdak]

You can tell I am old, I thought the thread was about using foam rollers............as in the little pink ones that's use to curl hair I think I have read enough of the Disboards today, I need some sleep!

 

[mufasa0505]

Lol!

 

[Ariel484]

Check out the videos in this Runner's World article: http://www.runnersworld.com/running-tips/roll?page=single

 

[dburg30]

Awesome, thanks everyone for the info. So doing more research, it appears about like everything else, you get what you pay for? Or is some of it just overpriced hype? The RW article ariel posted talks about pricing at the bottom. I guess not knowing what it feels like going in do you just go for the firmer ones that give the most intense work or start with a cheaper one knowing it wont last as long?

 

[Figment1990]

Ok. I had my first experience with rolling my it band at PT yesterday and it was AWFUL. First, I hurt so badly today- like the entire side of my quad is bruised. (its not actually bruised tho) It hurts to sit, stand, walk anything. I doubt I was doing it wrong bc my therapist was there with me. Of course I have flabby sides of my thighs so maybe she couldn't tell? (not huge, but not skinny). Anyhow- I did not Really feel pain that I felt I needed the rolling and had no tension spots or "relief." I think they had me doing this as part of my knee rehab because they arent 100% how to fix me (old patellar tendinitis issue). But I really don't think it was supposed to feel like this. It was truly awful.

Just as an aside I've never had to roll my it band before while training, calves, ankles and other issues yes, but never it band. They think my it band might be weak and thus contributing to my knee pain so were doing all sorts of exercises for that. But I've never had it band pain or rolled it. Just stretched it regularly.

(of course, my whole PT session was truly awful yesterday too but that's another post for another time)

 

[APrunner]

Ok. I had my first experience with rolling my it band at PT yesterday and it was AWFUL. First, I hurt so badly today- like the entire side of my quad is bruised. (its not actually bruised tho) It hurts to sit, stand, walk anything. I doubt I was doing it wrong bc my therapist was there with me. Of course I have flabby sides of my thighs so maybe she couldn't tell? (not huge, but not skinny). Anyhow- I did not Really feel pain that I felt I needed the rolling and had no tension spots or "relief." I think they had me doing this as part of my knee rehab because they arent 100% how to fix me (old patellar tendinitis issue). But I really don't think it was supposed to feel like this. It was truly awful.

Just as an aside I've never had to roll my it band before while training, calves, ankles and other issues yes, but never it band. They think my it band might be weak and thus contributing to my knee pain so were doing all sorts of exercises for that. But I've never had it band pain or rolled it. Just stretched it regularly.

(of course, my whole PT session was truly awful yesterday too but that's another post for another time)

A tight IT band can contribute to knee issues. Using a foam roller can be painful at first, but the body will adapt over time. I love it now. Try supporting a little more of your weight yourself instead of putting all or most of your weight on the roller. Over time, you can support yourself less and put more weight on the roller. Stick with it, it will pay off over time.

 

[tmbacon]

Awesome, thanks everyone for the info. So doing more research, it appears about like everything else, you get what you pay for? Or is some of it just overpriced hype? The RW article ariel posted talks about pricing at the bottom. I guess not knowing what it feels like going in do you just go for the firmer ones that give the most intense work or start with a cheaper one knowing it wont last as long?

My first foam roller was a light-blue one made of foam material that went "soft" on me after less than a year and I ended up pitching it because it was useless. I think I paid $20 for it. My current foam roller I've had forever, it's the one below on the link (sorry, I don't know how to do a cut/paste!). It called The Grid by Trigger Point Therapy, and costs $40. But it's absolutely worth every penny.

http://tptherapy.com/shop/smrt-core-products/the-grid.html