Hello,
Foam rolling, also known as self-myofascial release, helps release muscle tension by making the top layers of tissues more flexible. It's a very inexpensive way to help relieve pain as well as break down some of those trigger spots the develop in the fascia. I usually look at areas of problem for my members and try to help aide it.
So here are a few stretches you can implement in to help.
Please be advised: Foam rolling is for acute pain that consists of tight muscles, which should feel achy and comes and goes. Foam rolling should give you signs of relief.
Chronic pain that consists of sharp or tingling lasts more than 12 weeks, or started after some traumatic incident, see your doctor. A doctor can advise about more serious muscular or skeletal injuries while a physical therapist can analyze your movement to pinpoint the problem.
Shoulder & Neck Pain
How to foam roll your upper back: Lie with the foam roller perpendicular to your spine, just under your shoulder blades, with your butt on the ground. Support the back of your head with hands and extend your spine backward, then return to the starting position. Continue rotating backward and forward.
Stretch your chest: Commonly, shoulder pain is due to poor posture, which consists of the pectoral muscle and latissimi dorsi muscle being tight. Stand in the middle of a doorway with your arms extended at the sides at a ninety-degree angle. Holding onto the doorframe, have one leg forward, and start shifting your weight forward on to front leg until you feel the stretch in front of your shoulders and across your chest.
Knee Pain
Pain in this joint often comes from tightness in the iliotibial (aka your IT band) running up the outside of your thigh or from tight quads.
How to foam roll your IT band and quads: Lie with a foam roller just above your knee on the outside of your leg.
Make sure it's perpendicular to your body. Move your body back and forth, so the roller moves along the IT band from your knee up to your hip. Then roll your quads, pausing when you hit a tight spot; bending and straightening knee will help get deeper into the muscle.
Stretch your quads and hip flexors: Kneel in front of a couch or wall. Keeping your left knee on the floor, raise the left foot behind you and rest it against the couch or wall. Step your right leg out, so the right foot is flat on the floor, and the right knee is bent, thigh parallel to the floor. Hold this pose for a few breaths. You should feel the stretch in your left quad and hip flexor — alternate sides.
Back Pain
Pain in your back might stem from the front of your body: A tight hip flexor (the muscle where your legs meet your hips) often tugs on your lower back and results in aches in that area. Using a lacrosse ball is better for targeting lower-back pain than a foam roller because it can get deeper into the tense tissues. I recommend using the lacrosse ball rather than rolling your back.
Roll your lower back: Lie face down with a lacrosse ball under your hip flexor, easing your weight into it. Roll in small circles until you hit a tight spot, then stop and let the muscle sink into it. Bending knee behind you and letting your lower leg fan in and out can also help.
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