Call Us Today! 800-223-5526

5 Things Not To Do with a Foam Roller

Table of Contents

To discover the wonders of using a foam roller massage is life-changing for individuals who know how to do it correctly. This article discusses the five most common mistakes people make when using a foam roller.

Is There a Correct Technique for Using a Foam Roller?

Using any rehabilitation tool provides both relief and can cause injury if not monitored properly. The right way of rolling on a foam roller is contracting and relaxing the target muscle group. When you are on the tender spot, be sure to contract and relax that muscle while on the foam roller. This ensures that your time spent on foam rolling is at its maximum efficiency.

Can I Roll My Lower Back?

Rolling the back has the same effect as a good and long massage. However, this only applies to the upper and mid-back. The area around the shoulders and the lats are great for foam rolling and provide the ultimate relief from exertion. The lower back, however, is not an ideal spot for foam back and the reason is simple: the position.

Trying to get into the right position on a foam roller to reach your lower back will cause you to overarch your spine. It is possible to strain your back in the process, which is why foam rolling on the lower back is not advisable.

foam roller massage.

Should I Use a Foam Roller on My Trigger Points?

Foam rolling on trigger points is a good strategy for instant relief. However, overdoing it can cause more pain. Therefore, it is important to roll on tender muscles three to four times but repetitiveness can lead to more pain.

The best way is to target the larger muscle group of the trigger points and gradually spend an additional 30 seconds on the tender spot. This simple strategy has resulted in providing relief to taught muscles without over-rolling the trigger points.

Should the Pressure be Variable When Foam Rolling?

Gently rolling on the foam roller will have zero impact on your muscles. However, applying too much pressure when foam rolling can add more pain instead of providing relief. Therefore, it is essential that the pressure you put when foam rolling varies according to muscle groups and your trigger points.

Using different types of foam rollers will have different levels of impact. A hollow foam roller is made with hard plastic that allows you to gently apply pressure when rolling. However, full cylinder foam rollers are softer and require the use of hands and legs for extra support when rolling.

It is absolutely important that you apply the right amount of pressure and stop immediately if you experience pain. Foam rolling should feel like a relaxing massage on the tight muscles and provide relief to the trigger points. 

foam roller massage

What is the Right Direction of Foam Rolling?

The right direction of foam rolling is being able to balance on the foam roller easily. When foam rolling, if you find it hard to maintain your balance, it is possible that you have wrongly aligned the roller to your muscles.

The roller should be perpendicular to the target muscle and not parallel. This also allows you to cover a larger surface area. Once you have the right angle, you need to roll up and down the entire length of that muscle group.

Happy rolling!

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest
Select the fields to be shown. Others will be hidden. Drag and drop to rearrange the order.
  • Image
  • SKU
  • Rating
  • Price
  • Stock
  • Availability
  • Add to cart
  • Description
  • Content
  • Weight
  • Dimensions
  • Additional information
Click outside to hide the comparison bar
Compare