Roll Out!
Techniques for Self Myofascial Release
Have
you ever felt those nasty knots and sore spots through out your body?
Sure you have; athletes of all ages experience these pains and
sensations. Fortunately, you can easily eliminate these aches and improve
your progress with sports massage. While most of us don’t have the luxury
of seeing a masseuse every other day, we can experience the similar benefits
with the simple use of a foam roller, massage stick, or tennis ball. These
are all forms of self-myofascial release (SMR).
SMR
techniques can improve flexibility, function, performance, and reduce
injuries. Basically, the foam roller, massage stick, or tennis ball is
applying pressure. This pressure massages away restrictions to normal
soft-tissue extensibility. In doing so, the pressure improves your
“tissue quality,” whereas traditional stretching only improves your “tissue
length.” We need to improve tissue quality first by removing the
adhesions and scar tissue that may be impairing the length of your tissue to
truly improve flexibility and recoverability.
Two
basic neural receptors are located in muscle tissue. These receptors are
called muscle spindles and golgi tendo organs (GTOs). Muscle spindles are
located parallel to the muscle fibers and record changes in length. GTOs
are located at the musculotendinous junction and are sensitive to change in
tension. Stimulation of the GTOs past a certain threshold inhibits the
muscle spindle activity, and decreases muscular tension; this process is known
as autogenic inhibition. It is “autogenic” because the contracting muscle
is inhibited by its own receptors. Reduction in soft-tissue tension can
decrease pain and help restore normal muscle length-tension relationships.
SMR is used to apply tension to the muscle to help it relax and improve
function.
Guidelines
for SMR:
1. Use a foam roller, massage stick or tennis ball to apply pressure to areas
of the body.
2. Roll
at a slow pace for 10-20 repetitions per side.
3. If a
severe pain spot is noticed, hold the spot for 30-45 seconds or until the pain
decreases.
4.
Perform pre- and post-workout. Perform as needed on non-training days.
5.
Increase intensity by applying more pressure. Stack legs on foam roller;
use a partner
with massage sticks.
6. Roll
the full length of muscle - from origination to insertion.
7.
Static stretch after SMR to increase flexibility.
The following techniques are all shown with a foam roller, but can be used with a massage stick or tennis ball as well. You may need a partner to assist you when using a massage stick for certain areas of your body. As for using a tennis ball, simply lay on any particular area to cause a release of tension.
Hip External
Rotators
Sit on
the roller and lie towards one butt check. Roll knot out back and
forth. As with all that follow, if a severe pain spot is noticed, hold on
the spot for 30-45 seconds or until pain diminishes.
Piriformis
From
the position above, simply cross one ankle over the opposite knee and continue
to roll.
Hamstrings
Roll from your glute down to the knee. Roll
with toe up, toe in and toe out to get all three hamstring muscles.
Glute Medius
Lie on
side and roll from top of hip to bottom of butt cheek. Think of rolling
the side of your butt.
ITBand and TFL
Peroneals
From
the above position, roll from knees down to ankles. To intensify, stack
legs on top of each other.
Low
Back
Lie on
roller, and roll from middle of back to top of hips over the lumbar
region.
From
the above position, roll from middle back to the base of the neck over the
shoulder blades and thoracic spine. For the greatest benefits, hands
should be behind head and elbows pulled together.
Hip
Flexors
Lie face
down on roller, and roll from top of hip to your hip pocket. Small range
of motion over the notoriously tight hip flexors.
Quadriceps
From
the above position, roll from top of hip down to knee. Roll with toes
down, toes out, and toes in to work out all four quadriceps muscles.
Adductors/Groin
Open
leg up and point roller towards 1 ‘o’ clock for right leg and roll from hip all
the way down to the knee. Point roller towards 11 ‘o’ clock for left leg.
Lats/Teres Major
Lie on
side, and roll from arm pit to just over the shoulder blade. Turning body
more towards the ceiling will get more rotator cuff. This may be the most
painful areas in the body for most athletes.
I hope
that you can implement these foam roller exercises into your training programs
to better serve your athletes or yourselves and ensure that you are getting the
most out of your training.
Brijesh Patel, MA, a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (NSCA) and USA Weightlifting Club Coach (USAW), has been a Strength & Conditioning Coach at the collegiate level since 2000. Currently employed at the College of the Holy Cross, Brijesh has also worked with Mike Boyle at his professional facility in Massachusetts, the University of Connecticut, and with the Worcester Ice Cats of the AHL (American Hockey League). Brijesh has trained a variety of athletes ranging from middle school to the professional and Olympic levels. Brijesh has been published in magazines and has presented on the regional level.
Check out his website at www.sbcoachescollege.com
To contact Brijesh email him at brijesh@sbcoachescollege.com
The articles at GolfFitnessProducts.net are for informational purposes only and are not intended to substitute for direct examination and exercise prescription by the appropriate health professional. It is strongly recommended that you do not perform any exercise program without the consent of your personal physician.
