Have you ever been to the gym and seen a person rolling on something that looks like a giant piece of chalk? Well these people aren’t having an intimate moment; it really helps relieve knots in your muscles. You know what I’m talking about. That golf ball that moves around in the back of your neck, or the tightness in your hamstrings that feels like at any moment it’s going to pop and roll up like a slug. Stress, repetitive movements, poor exercising, bad posture, and more can cause these knots. Tightness restricts range and joint motion, which changes normal neural feedback to the central nervous system. Consequently, one will have faulty movement patterns, which can lead to injury. What a domino effect!
Imagine tying a shirt in a knot and then throwing it in a washing machine. Water and soap will not effectively get in the crevices of the knot, and if you stretch both ends of the shirt, the knot will get tighter. That’s synonymous to lack of blood flow to the area of the knot, and tightening the knot when you stretch the muscles that has it. Fortunately, you can iron out those knots with a foam roller using the proper techniques. I must warn you however; it may feel a bit painful like you’re delivering a small baby. Gradually overtime, consistent rolling will cause the knots and pain to dissipate, helping you achieve better range of motion, correct muscle imbalances, decrease muscle soreness, and relieve joint stress.
The best way to approach this when doing a workout routine is to start with the foam roller, warm up, exercise, cool down, and then foam roll again. Although foam rolling is a form of stretching, it’s ideal to stretch in the end of a workout also. For help in knowing how to use a foam roller, seek professional help or contact Ammo Athletics.
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All the best and God Bless,
Ammo Athletics