Foam Rolling Guide – Part 1
What is a foam rolling?
A foam roller readily available from the likes of TK Maxx is a tool for self massage. Foam rolling is basically a cheap and easy way of keeping your muscles flexible.
How do you foam roll?
You place the foam roller under the area you’re targeting and use a gentle, flowing backwards and forwards motion to apply pressure to the area.
How does it work?
You know how if you visit us for a massage, we apply pressure to release the knots in your muscles. You use the same principle with a foam roller except you use your body weight to apply pressure.
Are there any downside to foam rolling?
While I fully recommend foam rolling it will never replace the precision and experience of a massage therapist. It can be difficult to target small areas with a foam roller so a spikey ball is a better alternative.
How often should you foam roll?
The simple answer is as much as you can. When exercising a foam roller should be used both before and after exercise for best results. Please try to remember foam rolling isn’t a chore it’s a therapy you will gain benefits from it!
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Is slouching that bad for you? – part 2
One of our biggest bad habits is slouching. In part 1, I discussed how slouching can be linked to higher blood pressure, but that is not the only health issue... It may cause heartburn... Slumping doesn’t just wreak havoc on your spine but also, in turn, on the alignment of the whole body. According to some experts, one of the consequences can be heartburn — where stomach acid travels into the oesophagus, causing chest pain.
Slumping doesn't just wreak havoc on your spine but also, in turn, on the alignment of the whole body‘The pelvis is like a bowl, and when we stand up straight we hold it flat,’ says Robert McCoy. ‘But as you shift forward, the bowl tips forward and the contents, such as the stomach and digestive organs, shift, too.’ Over time, the sphincter muscle at the bottom of the oesophagus, which usually stops acid coming back up, becomes out of line with the oesophagus and stops working efficiently, leading to heartburn. So think before you slump!So how does massage help “tired” muscles?
Many clients come to our clinics a few days after vigorous work outs or competing in sporting competition because their legs feel tried or heavy. These clients often book a sports massage, but is their any scientific evidence to explain what is happening in the body during the treatment? Massage dilates superficial blood vessels and increases the rate of blood flow. In addition if a deeper pressure is used like in sports or deep tissue massage on a healthy adult it improves the venous return. Both of these changes to the blood flow represent a potent means to accelerate healing. For example, it suggests that massage should improve the performance of fatigued muscles. In addition, Goats asserts that massaged muscle fibres display less spasm, an increased force of contraction and enhanced endurance compared with muscles simply rested. Which suggests that massage will assist in the improvement of sporting performance where it has been compromised. References Scull CD (1945) Massage - Physiologic Basis. Archive of Physical Medicine 26: 159-67 Wilkins RW, Halperin MH, Litter J. (1950) The effects of various physical procedures on circulation in human limbs. Ann Intern Med 33: 1232-45 Goats GC (1994) Massage - the scientific basis of an ancient art: part 2. Physiological and therapeutic effects Br J Sp Med 28(3)
