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Foam roller exercises for:
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Foam Roller Exercises
Foam roller exercises are excellent for releasing muscle tension and helping stretch tired and tight muscles. Foam rolling has become very popular over the last year or so. We demonstrate how to use a foam roller as well as foam roller stretches, strengthening and myofascial release techniques.
Myofascial release Exercises
Myofascial release is a technique used by massage therapists to stretch the fascia. Fascia is a connective tissue which surrounds every organ, muscle and bone in the body. It is a very strong, fibrous tissue made of collagen and elastin.
Self myofascial release is a way of stretching the fascia yourself, without a therapist to do it for you. In most cases this is done using a foam roller - a cylinder of dense foam. Foam rollers can also be used to perform other exercises too, such as balance and core exercises.
Calf muscles
- This exercise massages the calf muscles at the back of the lower leg.
- The leg is rolled over the roller along the full length of the muscles from the ankle to just below the knee and back again.
- More pressure is applied from the ankle upwards following the direction of blood flow in the muscles.
Peroneal muscles
- This exercise massages the peroneal muscles at the back and side of the lower leg.
- These muscles are heavily used in running and regular massage here can help avoid overuse injuries of the lower leg.
- More pressure is applied from the ankle upwards in the direction of blood flow within the muscles.
Hamstring muscles
- This foam roller exercise massages and applies myofascial release to the hamstring muscles.
- Pressure is applied from just above the knee upwards following the direction of blood flow.
- This exercise can be done at home as part of a hamstring strain rehab program.
Iliotibial Band
- This ITB band foam roller exercise performs a myofascial release and stretch on the iliotibial band which passes down the outside of the thigh and attaches to the knee.
- It is a long tendon of the tensor fascia latae muscle in the hip and is associated with iliotibial band friction syndrome or runners knee.
- The foam roller is rolled along the length of the IT band with more emphasis or weight applied on the up stroke than the down so as to follow the direction of blood flow in the leg muscles.
Front thigh massage
- This exercise performs a myofascial release and stretch on the quadriceps muscles at the front of the thigh.
- The roller is applied along as full a length of the muscle as possible with more emphasis or weight from the knee upwards, following the direction of blood flow along the muscles.
