Foam Rolling: A Love Story

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I am not one to swoon over exercise equipment… but anyone who knows me knows that I swoon over my foam roller. In fact, over the course of the 8 years I have been foam rolling, I have amassed quite a collection of foam rollers- all different shapes and sizes, some hard, some soft, all with their unique and different uses. I carry one with me wherever I go, and rely on it daily to help me feel better in my body. 

Why do I love foam rolling? Well, it’s simple. It brings me immense relief to my tight and sore body. 

In the most simple terms, foam rolling’s purpose is to help loosen up tight fascia, the connective tissue that wraps around the muscles. Fascia can become tight after years of non-movement, sitting, dehydration, stress, and pain from autoimmune disease. When fasica becomes tight, this causes problems for us, because the fascia holds tightly to the muscles it surrounds, preventing them from moving in a fluid motion. This is where the soreness and pain comes from. 

When we foam roll, we begin to break up that tight fascia, which feels incredibly great. Well… it feels great afterwards at least. The honest truth is that foam rolling can be incredibly painful at the beginning, and that stops so many people from giving foam rolling a try. 

Typically, the Autoimmune Strong mantra is that if anything causes pain, you shouldn’t do it, but with foam rolling, it’s actually a different story. “It hurts so good” is a phrase I have heard often to describe foam rolling, because even though the first few days (or weeks) can be difficult, the payoff is worth the effort.

A few things about foam rolling that you should know before trying.

1) There is an art to foam rolling. It’s a difficult thing to do correctly by yourself if you haven’t been taught how to do it- or how to do it correctly. Following the step by step instructions I lay out in the Autoimmune Strong videos will be very helpful to make sure you do it right.

2) There are many different people with many different bodies and physical capabilities. Correspondingly, there are also many different ways to foam roll. Foam rolling can be done on the floor, against a wall, or sitting in a chair. If one way doesn’t work for you, there is always an alternative option that will work. In the Autoimmune Strong program, I demonstrate a number of different ways to foam roll, so you can find the right one for your body.

3) Using the correct foam rolling tool in the correct way will help you achieve relief, without causing too much pain. Choosing the right one for your body will make all the difference. Here is a quick guide to my favorite foam roller options:

The basic foam roller: (white and black)
This is the most traditional kind of foam roller, the one you see in most gyms. For most people, this is a great way to start. The long roller shape allows you to work with both legs at one, which can reduce the intensity of the initial pain. You can also use it to do simple spine and chest opener stretches, which feels great and is a great compliment to the foam rolling regiment. There are two densities, hard (black) and soft (white). If you are very sensitive to touch and are in a lot of physical pain, I recommend choosing the soft (white) version. However, if you can handle a little more pressure, the harder (black) version will be a little more effective, because it goes a little deeper into the tissues. 

For limited mobility: 
This foam roller, called the Tiger Tail, is perfect for people with limited mobility or have an extremely high sensitivity to pain. The basic foam roller requires being on the floor to work, and also requires that you have enough wrist strength to hold you up on the roller. The Tiger Tail does not require either of these things. It’s very gentle, you can do it sitting in a chair, and it’s a perfect introduction to foam rolling. 

For a deeper experience: 
My personal favorite are these infinity rollers. They require a little more mobility to use than the basic foam rollers, so my best advice is to start with the basic foam roller, get good at that, and then advance up to the infinity roller. (This is what I did). The infinity roller comes in two densities, hard (black) and soft (grey). My favorite part about it is the groove, which allows you to foam roll around your spine. The shape of it is more nimble, and helps you get into more crevices that the basic foam roller can’t get to. You will find nooks and crannies that need attention that you didn’t know you have! 

Foot Rollers: 
Finally, foam rolling your feet is a delicious experience and really important for your physical well being. Give it a try with a tennis ball or a lacrosse ball, or anything similar that you have lying around the house. Or you can order one of these for the ultimate foot foam rolling experience. 

If you are new to foam rolling, be gentle, don’t push too hard, especially in the beginning. Ease into it, don’t do it every day until you can be sure it doesn’t trigger a flare for you. Drink lots of water to hydrate and help push out all the toxins that you release from that stuck fascia. I often recommend electrolytes too.

Foam rolling can be incredibly cumbersome at first, but once you get used to it, I think you will find it beneficial. As always, I love to hear about your experiences so please let me know how foam rolling feels to you!

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