I haven’t been as active as I want. Normally, I’d be running upwards of forty miles and strength training two to three times per week. Last year, my fitness hit an all-time peak. I hit my goals and enjoyed how my body looked in the mirror. For the first time in my thirty years, I felt confident and strong.

Last year showed me that I needed to stop focusing on everyone else and start doing things that made me happy. So, I went wine tasting, ate cheese and bread, and didn’t count carbs or calories. I went from a strict athlete mindset to a relaxed, carefree average person. I found love again, both with Ty and in myself. The toll of being “perfect” weighed on me heavily, and I was finally letting some of that go.

But my body felt the change.

My muscle tone started to decrease. I had aches and pains in my hips, knees, and shoulders from sitting in the ambulance for twenty hours per shift. It came to a head when I could no longer sit or lay in a comfortable position for more than a couple of minutes without the sharp nagging in my hip forcing me to shift. I slept with a heating pad on the highest setting every night and avoided taking ibuprofen because historically, I’d swallowed it like candy.

The fact is, my muscles crave attention. They demand it. So, I broke out my foam roller.

The Importance of Foam Rolling

1. Releasing muscle tension
2. Improve your joints’ range of motion
3. Relieve soreness after exercise
4. Improve flexibility

1. Releasing Muscle Tension

Your muscles are covered by a thick surface of tissue called fascia. This tissue is designed to protect your muscles, but it is stubborn. These tough bands can become tight whether you have suffered from injury or lack of exercise. Applying pressure to the painful areas can help loosen and relax the muscles. Along with proper stretching, foam rolling allows the muscles to lengthen, which will help ease the pain.

2. Improve Your Joints’ Range of Motion

As mentioned above, lengthening your muscles helps to relieve pain. When your muscles are tight and haven’t been properly released, your muscles will remain shortened; think of a cramp. If a muscle stays in that shortened state for too long, you will start cramping in that area. Likewise, tendons, which connect muscle to bone, can shorten as well. The shortening of the tendons can cause cramping in the muscle or joint due to overuse or staying in the same position for too long.

If you work in an office or sit in a chair all day for work, you will notice your muscles and joints become sore once you move from that position. Foam rolling the muscles around the tendons and bones will release the tendons and relieve joint pain. The relief of pain allows for a greater range of motion of the joints.

3. Relieve Soreness After Exercise

Many people use their foam roller as a warm up before their exercise. However, I have found better results when using a roller after my workout or hard run to relieve muscle soreness.

Lactic acid is an acid in the body used for energy when your glucose energy stores are depleted. Your body can’t burn off the lactic acid as quickly as glucose and therefore stores it within the muscles. Rolling tight muscles will increase blood flow to that area. Added blood flow and increased oxygenation with foam rolling allow the muscle to release lactic acid, aiding in the relief of delayed onset muscle soreness.

4. Improve Flexibility

As we learned before, foam rolling lengthens the muscles. When combined with stretching, you can improve your flexibility in certain areas. Improving flexibility isn’t just for people who want to do the splits. Flexibility is necessary for mobility, performance, and avoiding injury.

For example, as a runner, I have significant issues with my hamstrings and IT band. Increasing the flexibility of the muscles, tendons, and ligaments allows me to continue running and meeting my goals.

What Areas Should You Avoid Foam Rolling?

Never, ever, ever, ever foam roll a bone or joint. While foam rolling the muscles around the bones and joints can help relieve tension in the tendons and ligaments, rolling over bones can cause inflammation – an irritation caused by an accumulation of white blood cells sent to fix an injury. Inflammation can result in pain and swelling, limiting your mobility and delaying your recovery time.

Foam rolling can be uncomfortable as you apply pressure to sore muscles, but it should never be painful. If you notice pain, stop immediately. Call your doctor or physical therapist if the pain does not go away.

Recommended Foam Rollers From Amazon

ProSource Flex Foam Roller

This is a low-density foam roller that comes in a variety of sizes. Size is a personal preference. The shorter foam rollers are great for managing smaller areas such as arms or calves because they are easier to control. The longer rollers are ideal for areas such as the back, glutes, and legs. I currently use a 6″x36″ low-density roller for personal use. A low-density roller is excellent for beginners due to the softer foam.

ProSource Fit High Density Speckled Foam Roller

A high-density roller will add additional pressure for more experienced foam rollers who have trouble relieving their knots. This model features “speckled” dots to improve traction so that the roller doesn’t slip out from under you.

The Original Body Roller

This particular foam roller is for those who require deep tissue release. This option only comes in the high-density foam, but there are also options for medium density textured foam rollers which would be better for those who do not require or do not respond well to high density.

Foot Massager Roller and Spikey Ball Set

While not precisely a “foam” roller, I wouldn’t be doing anyone any favors by not mentioning the feet. A foot roller or spikey balls are ideal for relieving pain caused by plantar fasciitis. I have used this particular set over the years to alleviate soreness after a run or when I’ve worn uncomfortable shoes for a long time.

Whatever your situation may be, foam rolling is beneficial to staying active. Whether you have been dealing with pain or want to improve your mobility and flexibility, foam rolling is essential to your routine.