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Foam rolling fun to keep you loose this holiday!

11.12.23

By Free Motion Physiotherapy

Don’t let the long lunches and lawn cricket stop you from moving well this Christmas! All you need is a small foam roller and a little bit of courage. It’s simple, it’s fun and it is sure to make you feel great! Let’s take it top to toe.

Here’s a basic guide on how to foam roll, the simple do’s and the don’ts.

• Make sure you can keep breathing while rolling, this ensures that you don’t work too deep.

• Focus on your problem areas, however sometimes working on another area too can relieve the problem spot.

• Foam rolling should not be painful, a feeling of discomfort is normal.

• A few minutes every day is enough.

• It is great for kids too!

• If you don’t have a foam roller you can use a tennis ball or other release tools.

1. Child’s pose warm-up stretch

If you experience pain in your shoulder joints, you can do the stretch without the roller. If the knees are uncomfortable, lift your buttocks off your heels.

2. Shoulder rolls

Sit or stand comfortably. Keep your arms by side and make circles with your shoulders, feel the shoulder blades moving and keep your neck stacked on your shoulders. Roll the shoulders forward and backward.

3. Upper limb – Pecs and triceps

Stand at the wall with the roller just below your elbow. Make sure to keep your shoulder down. Rotate your feet away from the wall and use your legs to create a glide of the roller against the wall. This stretches the front of your chest (pec muscle).

Upper arm (tricep muscle) resting on the roller, you should not experience pain in the shoulder joint in this position. Use your other arm to push your upper body off the ground and to lower it back down, this will glide the roller on the upper arm releasing the tricep muscle.

4. Upper back at the wall

Either use the foam roller horizontally against the wall, targeting both sides of the upper back or use the foam roller vertically targeting one side at a time. Ensure that the shoulders stay relaxed and that you are using your legs to create a glide in the roller. This releases the muscles between the shoulder blades and mobilizes the thoracic spine.

5. Upper back on the floor

The higher you lift the hips; the more pressure will be on your back. Use your legs, pushing from your heels, to move the roller up and down. Make sure not to roll lower than the ribs as it can irritate the lower back. If you feel a tight spot, put your hips down and shear your upper back side to side to give a deeper release. You can also extend (bend backwards) the back over the roller within your body’s ability.

6. Ribs

You can gently just shift your weight onto your ribs and hold the position or you can shift forward and back as feels good. You can also shear across the roller causing a friction sensation. While not the most comfortable, the increased heat and sensation has great benefits.

7. Hip/Buttock

Siting on your roller, shift your weight over to one side. Start with the leg straight and progress to bending it as shown in picture if you are comfortable. Using your arms and leg to glide the roller. This releases the buttock muscles to unlock your hip and back.

8. Legs

Lying with the front of your thighs on the roller. Ensure that your toes stay close to the ground as you are rolling, to prevent collapsing into the lower back. You can roll with legs straight and if there is a spot that needs more attention you can stay there and bend the knee to get a deeper release. You can also change the position of the feet, either neutral, rotated outward or inward to reach different parts of the thigh muscle.

9. Shins

Sitting with your kneecaps just above the roller and supported on your arms, gently pull your knees in underneath you and back out. This can be a tender spot to roll. If you want to increase the pressure you can shift your weight to one side.

10.Calves

Sitting with the roller tucked in between the calves and thighs, gently sit back with your weight on to the roller. The deeper you sit, the deeper the release will be. Gently wiggle your hips side to side to glide the roller on the calf muscles.

11.Feet

Grab any ball and roll the bottom of your foot. Spreading out your toes as you go.

If you are away and been sitting too much or have a stiff back after carrying a child across hot beach sand and you are unable to give us a visit, have a go at attempting one or all of these and then see how you feel.