Do you realize that starting from the heel and ankles up to the knees, and then further up the hips, lower back up to cover shoulders and neck have something in common? Yes, these are the parts of our body that often susceptible to pains and aches. More often than not, pain is caused by tightened muscles as a consequence of over use and times due to insufficient use. Common activities associated with your daily life may cause such a problem.
For instance, continued and prolonged hours of working on a computer, driving, standing in line for a longtime or even sleeping on the same side of your body can cause tightening of muscles. The affected area normally develops a “knot” that may alter the optimal length of a muscle, which consequently disrupts your normal movements. Under such circumstances normal day to day movements get too painful to bear. As such, these knots have to be released to provide relaxation of the muscles enabling them to regain their normal length for proper functioning.
One way of achieving the needful is a simple foam roller. This modest device is employed to carry out a flexibility technique known as self-myofascial release or foam rolling. In plain and simple language, it is used to provide relaxation to tense muscles and thereby get relief.
Self-myofascial release applies pressure to muscles with a foam roller. This pressure is sensed by the muscles. The body in turn sends a signal back to the affected muscle asking it to relax. Depending on the severity of the problem, some muscles relax immediately, while others need more time as the treatment has to be repeated. Another feature you should know is that the variation of tenderness that one feels when pressure is applied on a knotted muscle can be mild to severe. Apparent increase of tenderness should not discourage you from continuing with the treatment. It is not uncommon to come across people who gave it up in the middle and concluded that it is worth continuing to bear and live with pain rather than this harsh treatment. But, if you persist you will begin to feel better.
Another very important aspect that you have to consider on having a relaxed knotted muscle is to be watchful of your movements all the time to observe and realize which action or a series of actions performed during the day could have caused such a pain. Try to eliminate those movements and reflexes for a speedier recovery. Develop means of avoiding to be in the same posture and position. Some helpful tips here would be: keep taking short breaks if you are required to remain seated for long intervals, just walk to help yourself with a glass of water or stand up and walk around your work area. Likewise you may start bringing slight changes in your routine of exercises. Cautiously and consciously change the way you carry your bags and keep shifting weight from one shoulder to another or from one leg to another while standing. These small measures prove to be helpful very often.
Here are the simple instructions for foam rolling:
• Continue to roll at a slow speed (1″ per second) over muscles.
• Do not roll on joints.
• If you hit across a tender area or “a knot”, hold for a few seconds till tenderness subsides and then move on again.
• Continue with deep breathing while holding on a “knot” and relax yourself
• If the “knot” is too intense, move on and come back to it later.
• Self-myofascial release may be performed daily.
This technique is not advisable for diabetics who have lost the protective sensation of the lower limbs. It is also not recommended for pregnant women. Patients of has hypertension, coronary heart disease, intermittent claudication/peripheral arterial disease, and osteoporosis should refrain from following this practice.