Foam rolling mistakes to avoid

Humans are kind of like snowflakes: no two are the same. Our bodies all move in different ways are require care in specific ways, especially when it comes to foam rolling.

It’s no secret that we love foam rollers. We wanted to take a break from shouting our love for foam rollers from the mountain tops to review some basic information about what not to do while foam rolling. Not knowing what you’re doing while foam rolling or foam rolling incorrectly can lead to a serious injury.

The Huffington Post recently published an article about 5 foam rolling mistakes to avoid. They interviewed several experts about common foam rolling mistakes and how to correctly foam roll. Here’s what they found out:

1. Don’t roll directly where you feel pain – areas of pain are often not the source of the pain, but the result of imbalances in other areas of the body. Take the IT band for example. Foam rolling is widely hailed as a method for treating ITBS, but the IT band is an incredibly thick band of tissue that requires a lot more than foam rolling to be completely released. Foam rolling the primary muscles attached to the IT band are actually far more effective methods for treating ITBS. If you find a spot on your body that is sensitive, take the time to work a more localized region around the areas that feel sore before using larger, sweeping motions.
2. Don’t roll too fast – rolling too fast over an area may feel good, but you won’t eliminate any adhesions that way. Slower is better when it comes to foam rolling. Feel where the tender spots are and take your time working the area around it.
3. Don’t spend too much time on knots – we’re guilty of suggesting that you should spend some time working on a knot with a foam roller. Spending too much time on one spot can cause bruising. Spend at most 20 seconds on a tender spot and then move on. Be conscious of how much weight you are putting on a spot. Going back to our IT band example in point 1, when you roll your IT band, plant the foot of your leg on the floor to take some of the weight off of the roller (see the image above).
4. You need good posture – if you don’t pay attention to your form or posture while foam rolling, you can get hurt. Back to our IT band example, when you roll out the IT band you are supporting your body weight with one arm. You need to make sure that arm is strong and supporting yourself properly. An experienced personal trainer or physical therapist can show you proper form and technique.
5. Don’t use the roller on your lower back – when you roll your lower back your spine automatically reacts and contracts the spinal muscles to protect it. If you’re using the foam roller on your back, stop when you hit the ribcage. If you want to release tension in your lower back try a yoga pose, such as child’s pose. If you’re set on using a foam roller, roll out the muscles that connect to the lower back, such as the piriformis, hip flexors, and rectus femoris.

There’s no denying the benefits of foam rolling, but doing it safely without putting yourself at risk for further injury is the most important part of any foam rolling routine.

Click here for the original article on the Huffington Post.