EVERYONE and their brother seems to have jumped on the foam rolling wagon.

This past year or so it went from the PT room to viral…every other running post is about how to do foam rolling for recovery.

I decided to try it out and see if it made a difference.

Getting on the Bandwagon

First step was to actually get a foam roller.

I Googled “best foam roller runner” and a bunch of lists came up. The “Trigger Point” brand was one that was recommended from various sources, so I decided to try one of theirs.

Amazon carries it, and since I use Amazon to get me things quickly I ordered it from there.

The other thing I liked about the “Trigger Point” was the option to view online videos on how to use it (tptherapy.com).

Rolling for Pain Management

When I was having calf issues in Shanghai, I had wished I had one to try.

That’s better now, but maybe using it will alleviate some of the soreness in my thighs and glutes that always plague me after a long run.

Before foam rolling, there were sports massages. I love massages, but only the relaxing ones…not the deep tissue “it really hurts” ones.

I am more likely to do the foam rolling since I control how deep to go. It’s also nice to not have to pay the prices for a massage every couple of weeks!

When researching foam rolling, much is said about the fascia.

This is made up mostly of collagen and surrounds muscles. It is pretty much everywhere, and connects a lot of your internal “stuff” to other internal “stuff” (not a doctor, lol).

When you foam roll, you are giving yourself a “myofascial release”…a workout for your fascia.

This will release the tightness that forms from running. It also helps with our range of motion and oxygen flow.

Here is a link to a picture of fascia under muscle. I didn’t include it on the post in case some of you would rather not see it!

So, now I’ve researched…but will I see a difference?

Using the Foam Roller

There can be a bit of a learning curve using the roller.

How you use it may be different than what someone else does, based on what issues you may be having. Whether general muscle soreness or injury is the reason for using it also comes into play.

There are many resources online that will direct you to exercises you can do with the roller. I recommend PT websites/YouTube channels, and also running specific ones.

One note about IT Band issues…from what I have found it is generally frowned upon to use a roller to try and alleviate that pain.

I suggest seeing a sports PT to try and get to the bottom of what is going on and how to combat it.

At the bottom of this post is the training video I used to learn how to use my Trigger Point foam roller.

One Week Later…

I’ve been rolling for a week now, usually just after runs. My quadriceps have been especially tight after some longer runs and I used the roller on those and my calves.

I must say, I did feel a difference later in the day. I wasn’t as sore as I would have been in the past. I also used it on my lower back and glute, which give me problems during the run.

I DO feel less tight and sore. I will keep it up and will keep encouraging my husband to do the same.

This seems to be a good alternative to paying for a sports massage every other week.

I try to remember to put out my exercise mat and the roller on the living room floor before going out for a run so I see it and do it right away.

Otherwise, I may forget or not want to bother getting it set up.

Making rolling a habit is a goal of mine, now that I have spent a bit of time doing it.

Two Weeks Later…

I must admit I haven’t been great at rolling every time I run. I am mostly doing it after longer runs, when I feel the soreness immediately after.

BUT, I do think it has been good for me and I keep encouraging my husband to take advantage of it as well.

Update (over a year later)

Foam rolling has become a habit, one that is pretty ingrained in me now.

It has helped me so much with glute issues and preventing next day soreness all over the leg.

I still will put out the mat and roller before going out on the run.

Recovery is an important part of training. Runners tend to ignore it, thinking more running…faster running…intense running is what we should be after.

Rest, sleep, nutrition is JUST as important. Recovery does not mean we are weak. We should not be trying to prove we don’t need rest.

When we sleep and rest and foam roll we are encouraging our muscles to repair and get stronger. Our fitness levels don’t rise unless our bodies are allowed to recover.

I consider for myself foam rolling to be a part of that.

If you would like to see foam rolling in action, check out the YouTube video below…