Foam Rolling Is the Answer You’ve Been Looking For

Have you ever gotten a massage and felt loose and limber for a few days, but then that familiar tightness and pain ultimately begins to creep back in? Or maybe each time you get your monthly massage, you feel like you’re making little to no progress from the last session and always starting back at square one. As the months (and your money) pass by, it becomes a frustrating cycle that makes you feel defeated, and like you’re incapable of healing or fixing a problem in your body.

If this sounds like you, know that you are definitely not alone. And regardless of what other massage therapists have told you in the past, we’re here to tell you the truth: a monthly massage on its own is simply not enough to create real, lasting change in your body.

Massage On Its Own Is Not Enough

Don’t get us wrong, therapeutic massage is an incredible therapy with a multitude of benefits (like reduced muscle tension, reduced stress & anxiety, increased joint mobility and so much more)—but if you don’t also put in the work at home, you’re simply not going to see the best possible results.

So, what do we mean by “put in the work at home?” Besides adequate hydration, regular exercise, stretching and finding ways to de-stress, one of the most often overlooked (yet so important!) tools you should be incorporating into your selfcare routine is foam rolling (aka self-myofascial release).

Before we get into what foam rolling is, its numerous benefits and how to do it—let’s talk fascia.

What Is Fascia?

Fascia is connective tissue that weaves around and interpenetrates every single muscle, nerve, blood vessel, organ and bone in the body. It is one continuous structure, somewhat similar to a spider’s web or a sweater. Similarly to when you pull a single thread of a sweater and it begins to bunch up, a restriction in one area of a person’s fascia can create issues in other areas of the body.

Fascia is supposed to be smooth, slippery and it should stretch easily when you move. However, chronic dehydration, a sedentary lifestyle, repetitive movements, physical or emotional trauma, scaring or inflammation can cause fascia to become “sticky” and lose its pliability. Long term fascial restrictions can cause sensitive trigger points to form within muscles, and can even cause muscles to contort and change shape over time.

Self-myofascial Release

To prevent the pain and complications that can come from restricted fascia, self-myofascial release is a form of self-assisted massage that can be a true game-changer when it comes to releasing muscle tension, improving range of motion, correcting posture and increasing neuromuscular efficiency overall.

Self-myofascial release can be done with a foam roller, lacrosse ball, handheld rollers or other assistive devices. Foam rollers can vary in density, surface structure, and some even have vibration or temperature modifications, depending on your goals and preferences.

The main premise behind self-myofascial release, or foam rolling, is that the sustained pressure of your body on the device triggers overactive muscle fibers to release, unknot and realign.

The National Academy of Sports Medicine explains it this way: “Golgi tendon organs, located in the musculotendinous junctions, are stimulated by a change and rate of tension, and when they are stimulated will cause the muscle to relax. When a change in tension is sustained at an adequate intensity and duration, muscle spindle activity is inhibited, causing a decrease in trigger point activity, accompanied by a reduction of pain.”

It's clear that science supports self-myofascial release as an invaluable selfcare tool that can help reduce muscle tension and, in turn, pain—but one thing we’ve noticed, is that when we tell clients to incorporate foam rolling at home, they’re often unsure of exactly how to do it, for how long, how often, and on what body parts.

Learn How To Foam Roll at TheraKneads

This is where our new service, the Foam Rolling Demo, comes in. Join Kayla C., Licensed Massage Therapist & Certified Personal Trainer, as she teaches you how to perform self-myofascial release with a foam roller. Whether you’re looking for foam rolling techniques for certain ailments or you want to learn a full body routine, Kayla has got you covered. You also have the option to add on a customized, therapeutic massage for either 30 or 60 minutes. We will provide all the necessary equipment, so just bring yourself and wear some clothes you can move in.

Gone will be the days where you’re feeling defeated and not making progress toward your goals. Instead, you’ll gain imperative knowledge and become empowered to take your healing into your own hands.

Book your Foam Rolling Demo with Kayla C. here or give us a call at 410-549-7711 if you have any questions.

*Please keep in mind that Kayla C. has a tendency to book up fast—so we recommend setting up any appointments with her well in advance. If you already have a regular massage booked with Kayla C. and would like to change your appointment to also contain the foam rolling demo—just let the front desk know at least one day prior to your appointment and we can happily accommodate.