Finally, even if rolling initially feels good, start slowly and don't overdo it. If you roll too vigorously or for too long, you can cause tissue damage.
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. You should only do it for up to 20 minutes. As mentioned, 60-90 seconds is suitable for most muscle groups.
The risks of rolling out muscles improperly are on par with getting too severe a massage — bruising, most of all. If you get bruised from foam rolling, you'll probably want to ice it. "And any sort of swelling or loss of function, range of motion, or strength — see a doctor immediately," says Lemmer.
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.
But foam rolling when you are sore is actually beneficial. Because of the fact that you're getting the blood flow to the muscles, you're going to recover at a faster rate. So if you are too sore to foam roll, this is totally normal sometimes. Most days we get sore. It could come on one to two days later.
Avoid rolling the lower back – hyperextension of the lumbar spine can be injurious although rolling the thoracic spine can provide relief from upper back pain and poor posture. The neck should also be avoided. Increase the intensity and duration of foam rolling gradually to avoid post-treatment soreness or bruising.
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.
Pressure Into the Low Back
For example, someone with a lumbar disc herniation impinging on a nerve root could trigger their symptoms by foam rolling. The pressure from pushing the low back into the foam roller could cause the nerve to come into closer contact with a herniated disc.
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.
For general muscle soreness, you can use a foam roller just about any time. Some people like to use a roller first thing in the morning or before going to bed.
There are several benefits to foam rolling every day, including: Increased Range of Motion: Foam rolling can help to improve joint mobility and increase range of motion.
Once the affected person has rolled over a foam roller, the appearance of the dimples changes, and they become fewer in number. One possible explanation for this is that the self-massage relieves tension in the fasciae, which allows the skin to lie flat underneath the skin. However, this effect does not last for long.
Don't overdo it.
When you find a tender spot, sink into that tissue with slow, gentle pressure, and do not force yourself to push through pain. Simple self-care practices like self-myofascial release and self-massage can go a long way to keeping you tuned up and feeling good.
Foam rolling does not release toxins; it helps improve circulation and muscle recovery by breaking up adhesions and increasing blood flow to the area.
The Causes of Bruising After Foam Rolling
Instead, bruising is often an indicator that you foam rolled too hard, for too long, in the wrong areas, or did a combination of all three, she says.
It's okay to roll your upper back and midback, specifically the areas around the shoulder blades and the lats. But even though you might be tempted to foam-roll your lower back, it's not a good idea. It's difficult to balance a foam roller on the lower part of the back, says Jiang.
Foam rollers do not necessarily break up fat. While foam rolling can provide many benefits, such as improving flexibility, reducing muscle soreness, and increasing blood flow, it does not have the ability to break up or reduce fat in the body.
However, it is possible to do too much foam rolling too often. Ideally, you'll want to spend no longer than two minutes foam rolling on any one area. Putting sustained pressure on a muscle group for more than a couple minutes can do more harm than good to your muscles and may even worsen your pain.
Do not foam roll directly onto a joint or bone. Don't roll your neck and seek professional advice if you have neck pain. Don't roll your lower back as this may cause the spine to contract in an effort to protect the spine. ITBs are not meant to be rolled.
“Too much extension in these cases decreases the space of the spinal and foraminal canals and can lead to the spinal cord and nerve impingement, and a multitude of issues can arise like shooting pain or weakness.” And if you've got a disc herniation, foam rolling can be too aggressive and can lead to even more ...
While foam rolling has numerous benefits for athletes and active individuals, there is scientific evidence to suggest that it detoxes the body. However, foam rolling can help increase blood flow and lymphatic drainage, which can help the body eliminate toxins more efficiently.
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.