Foam rolling cannot replace high-quality massage therapy or bodywork from a qualified massage therapist or health professional with in-depth knowledge of the myoskeletal system.
Foam rolling is also often called soft tissue therapy or self-myofascial release which are all interchangeable terms. Foam rolling is pretty much just a self-massage. There's nothing magical about specifically using foam.
Foam rollers are often more suited to beginners as they are deemed more comfortable than massage balls. They also target larger lengths of muscle with more dispersed pressure, leading to greater comfort.
Never roll over bony prominences – bones can be mistaken for adhesions but repeated rolling could result in inflammation of the periosteum. Avoid rolling over joints – rolling joints can cause inflammation of the tendons and ligaments around the articulation. Also, avoid hyperextension of unsupported joints.
Massage sticks are ideal for reaching more awkward areas. They are light and compact so they are easy to pop into your gym or yoga bag and carry with you. Can use it yourself or can have someone use it on you. Larger foam rollers are ideal for gym and home use.
Aside from the pain factor, which improves with use and often has a “hurts so good” effect, foam rollers are often a great tool that I use with patients to improve the benefits of their structurally focused chiropractic care. Simplified its effects are similar to stretching.
Foam rollers offer broader muscle relief and help with flexibility, while massage guns provide focused, deep-tissue therapy. Choosing the right tool depends on the kind of relief you're after—whether it's general muscle maintenance or targeting specific areas of tension.
These two areas of your spine are the most sensitive to injury. The skeletal and muscular anatomy of your neck and low back are not dense enough to support the body's weight while rolling without injury.
To put it simply, yes, it is possible to foam roll too much. Overdoing foam rolling can do more harm than good to the tissue connecting your muscles.
Potential cons of foam rolling
Of note is the fact that foam rolling doesn't penetrate as deep into the tissue as a true massage or a myofascial release session with a professional.
Many physical therapists use foam rollers to help patients recover from injuries – and for good reason. This flexible piece of equipment can help to increase range of motion, shorten recovery time, and enhance healing.
The humble massage ball does what foam rolling does—it helps slide, separate, and lubricate layers of soft tissue, and this helps improve circulation and reduce stiffness and adhesions (what we often call knots). Yet due to its smaller surface area, a massage ball can reach deeper layers of fascia, Stecco said.
If you're unusually sore the day after foam rolling, you may have foam rolled too long or too aggressively. Make sure you aren't foam rolling a particular muscle group longer than two minutes, which may mean setting a timer to help keep you from overdoing it.
While foam rolling may help smooth out your skin temporarily, there is currently no scientific evidence that it can permanently reduce cellulite. The best way to reduce cellulite is to maintain an active lifestyle and consume a healthy diet.
There's nothing wrong with using a foam roller every day. If you work out regularly and find that DOMS are a recurring issue, integrating a foam roller into your recovery routine to target specific areas and muscle groups can be beneficial. There's no downside to using a foam roller if you know what you're doing.
Recent research suggests that the real benefits of foam rolling won't kick in for most people for at least four weeks. The scientists reviewed 11 studies to determine noticeable improvements.
Foam rolling has become a popular method not only for muscle recovery but also for fascia release, a key component in maintaining flexibility and overall body function.
The foam roller is also not the right tool for treating the stomach area with all of its organs. However, fascia training in the stomach region does exist: ideally with the BLACKROLL® BALL 08 or a TRIGGER TOOL. These allow you to target and reach more specific areas, such as in your hip region or diaphragm.
In summary, applying foam rolling after damage has benefits such as an increase in anti-inflammatory proteins and a reduction of pro-inflammatory proteins, resulting in muscle recovery and better performance.
There are certain conditions and circumstances where use of a foam roller could be detrimental or damaging to a person's body. Foam rolling exercises load and stress the underlying tissues, including nerves, skin receptors, blood and lymphatic vessels, as well as bones.
Percussive massage helps distribute the thickened fascia fluid to relieve the pressure and tightness you feel. Repeated pressure at high speed thins the fluids, making the fascia more pliable so that your muscle can move more easily and efficiently.
Smooth foam rollers distribute pressure evenly and cost less than textured ones. Textured rollers simulate a massage therapist's hands through ridges and knobs helping you release tension in smaller areas on the body. Often you can identify a foam roller's density by its color (e.g., white is soft, black is hard).