A foam roller is a performance and recovery tool that offers an effective and affordable way to achieve a deep tissue massage. Foam rolling releases painful knots, stimulates blood flow to enhance performance, and speeds up the healing process.
If you’re wondering what does a foam roller do and how can it benefit you, keep reading to find out more from our Pulseroll fitness experts. In a nutshell, foam rolling can help with the following:
- Chronic back pain
- Stiffness from sitting for extended periods of time
- Myofascial Release
- Flexibility and range of motion
- Posture improvement
- Injury prevention
- Recovery from workouts
- Better sleeping patterns
Foam rollers allow you to self-massage painful knots and tense muscles – also known as “trigger points” – by placing the foam roller underneath you and slowly rolling over the tender or stiff areas. This process of relieving painful trigger points is commonly referred to as “myofascial release.”
The benefits of a foam roller
1. Helps to reduce chronic back pain
Foam rolling most likely isn’t a permanent solution to chronic back pain, but it can certainly help release the painful knots, reduce inflammation, and relieve some of your discomfort and pain. Easing the pain may give you the energy and strength you need to become more active and target the real source of your pain.
For chronic back pain sufferers, pairing foam rolling with daily inversion therapy will make a significant difference in your journey to recovery and long-lasting relief.
2. Relieves muscle stiffness
If you spend extended periods of time sitting – whether it’s at a desk, in a car, or on an airplane – you’re probably no stranger to the stiffness and aches that accompany it.
Sitting is a position that forces the muscles and joints to compress and tighten. The longer we hold that compressed position, the more tense and inflexible the myofascial tissue and muscles become.
Foam rolling helps decompress and relax those stiff muscles back to their natural position and release the tense trigger points that built up in the fascia.
3. Pre-workout rolling for injury prevention
Foam rolling increases circulation and helps prepare the body for movement by stretching and loosening the muscles prior to working out. This warm-up increases range of motion and reduces the risk of tears and strains so you can move and perform better. It also activates more muscles that wouldn’t have been ready to optimally function, resulting in a more effective workout.4. Post-workout rolling for recovery
Exercise puts a lot of stress on various muscles, tissue, and joints that were most likely inactive for the majority of the day. Foam rolling targets the overworked muscle areas and prevents knots from building up afterward – which studies show reduces soreness and allows your muscles to recover quicker and more effectively.
The quicker your muscles are able to recover from the stress of working out, the more your body can focus its energy on burning excess fat.
Foam rolling with Pulseroll
A modern twist on the standard foam roller is our very own vibrating foam roller. The Pulseroll vibrating foam roller uses vibrating technology, has 4 vibrating speeds, and this foam roller comes with a remote control which makes foam rolling super easy!
All of the Pulseroll products are scientifically proven to be effective and reduce next day soreness and muscle pain. To find out more about the Pulseroll products, read more of our top tips and tricks on our muscle recovery blog.
