Foam rolling is a popular self-myofascial release (SMR) technique that improves flexibility, reduces muscle tightness, and enhances recovery.

Fascia and Its Role in the Body
As you learned in “The Book of Personal Training,” fascia are fibrous connective tissues with similar properties to tendons except that they are arranged in sheets. Fascia are continuous sheets of connective tissue that wrap and attaches muscles and other structures. Essentially, fascia facilitates the smooth sliding of muscles against each other.

When fascia becomes tight, restricted, or adherent due to injury, poor posture, stress, or overuse, it can cause discomfort, stiffness, and restricted movement.

The Science Behind Myofascial Release
Myofascial release (MFR) is a manual therapy technique that focuses on relieving tightness and discomfort in the fascia. The primary goal of MFR is to release tension in the fascia and restore normal tissue mobility.

If you were seeing a Physical Therapist, they would tackle your fascia in one of two ways. The first technique, Direct Myofascial Release, involves applying pressure directly on the restricted fascia and holding the pressure until the fascia releases and softens. The aim here is to gradually stretch and elongate the fascia.

The second technique, Indirect Myofascial Release, involves manipulating the fascia in the direction opposite of the restriction. It may be used when direct pressure is too painful or when the therapist is trying to engage specific points that are more sensitive or in deeper tissues.

Myofascial Release vs. Foam Rolling
Just like myofascial release, foam rolling applies pressure to the muscles and fascia. This mechanical pressure helps break up "knots" in the fascia, which can cause discomfort and restrict movement. By rolling over these areas, you may help restore normal tissue length and improve the sliding function of muscles and fascia.

Physical Therapists can manually dig into deeper tissue layers, specific trigger points, and more localized restrictions, whereas foam rolling typically targets larger muscle groups.

While having a Physical Therapist on call to show up before and after every single training session would be ideal, this isn’t most people’s reality. Therefore, self-myofascial release (SMR) becomes a more viable option to incorporate into our daily training regimen.

Other Benefits of Foam Rolling:

• Enhances Blood Flow and Circulation: Foam rolling encourages blood flow to the muscles and fascia, which can improve the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the tissues, aiding in faster recovery.
• Increases Range of Motion (ROM): Foam rolling has been shown to increase flexibility, especially in muscle groups like the hip flexors, quadriceps, and hamstrings.
• Promotes Healing: For individuals recovering from an injury, proper blood circulation is crucial for healing, as it helps remove waste products and promotes the regeneration of damaged tissue
• Prevents Scar Tissue: Foam rolling may help prevent or minimize scar tissue formation by keeping the tissue soft and pliable.
• Improves Posture: Foam rolling can help release tension in the muscles that contribute to poor posture, improving alignment and reducing strain on the body.
• Facilitates Active Recovery: For individuals transitioning back to normal physical activity following an injury or surgery, Foam Rolling can promote muscle relaxation, reduce stiffness, and increase circulation without putting excessive strain on the body. This allows for a smoother progression back to exercise and functional movement.

The Research
There have been several studies done over the years to discover the effects of foam rolling on a wide array of topics such as performance, range of motion, and recovery. The studies overall report positive findings, but vary based on the level of significance, ranging from little to no impact to significant.

A study published in 2019, A Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Foam Rolling on Performance and Recovery, analyzed 21 studies to assess foam rolling's impact on sprint, jump, and strength performance, as well as flexibility and muscle pain. It found that pre-rolling slightly improved sprint performance and flexibility, while post-rolling helped maintain sprint and strength performance and reduced muscle pain. The study concluded that foam rolling has minor effects on performance and recovery but can be beneficial in certain cases.

A more recent study published in 2024, Recovery Effect of Self‐Myofascial Release Treatment Using Different Devices, examined how different self-myofascial release devices, including foam rollers, affect muscle recovery. Researchers found that using a roller effectively increased lactate removal and improved muscle relaxation, suggesting its potential benefits for recovery.

More high-quality clinical trials are needed to fully explore the potential positive impacts foam rolling could have on training and recovery. Many studies from previous years confirm foam rolling's positive effects on flexibility and DOMS, but the evidence for its role in performance enhancement and long-term recovery is still being explored. There has also been no evidence (at least that I am aware of) that reports any type of negative impact on performance if foam rolling is performed correctly.

Foam Rolling Exercise Prescription:
Frequency: You can foam roll daily, depending on your activity level and needs. I have not come across a single piece of research that indicates if you are healthy and able, you need to restrict the amount of foam rolling you incorporate into your exercise regimen.

Intensity: The two factors that will affect intensity are firmness and load. A foam roller’s firmness, also referred to as “density” (the hardness of the foam roller) is typically categorized as soft, medium, and hard. Not always, but often, foam rollers follow a color-coding scale. Typically, white is soft, blue/green is medium and black is hard. Some brands will also use a 0-100 scale. The second factor that affects intensity is load. The more weight you shift onto the foam roller, the more intense the experience will become.

Time: 1-2 minutes per muscle group is standard. However, as I mentioned above, I haven’t come across any research that shows you can overdo it. If there is a particular muscle group giving you more issues, spend more time on it. If you are working with a Physical Therapist on a specific injury, the recommendation might be closer to 20-30 seconds. Always follow your medical professionals' exercise prescriptions.

Type: There are two types of techniques in foam rolling. The first is to complete a movement in one iteration without pausing. The second is to roll and hold. Holding provides more pinpoint pressure. I typically roll and hold pre-workout and roll out everything post-workout.

Before vs After Workouts
Pre-Workout: Foam rolling before a workout is typically used as part of a dynamic warm-up. It can help to release tight spots and improve the range of motion.

Post-Workout: Foam rolling can help during the cool-down and recovery phase. It is more effective for releasing muscle tension and improving flexibility.

When to Avoid Foam Rolling:

• First and foremost, only apply foam rolling to soft tissue, never bone.
• If you have any acute injuries such as a sprain or fracture, foam rolling will most likely aggravate the condition.
• If an area is inflamed (red, hot, swollen) foam rolling can further irritate the issue. In such cases, rest and ice are recommended.
• If you have a condition like osteoporosis, severe muscle strain, or recent surgery, you should consult your doctor or a physical therapist before using foam rolling as part of your rehab program.

In Conclusion
Foam rolling is a simple, low-cost intervention that can be beneficial as part of your fitness program. Whether you are using it to prevent injuries, increase your ROM, or in a rehab program, performed correctly, foam rolling is another good tool to have in your fitness arsenal.

_{^{References
Michalak, B., Kopiczko, A., Gajda, R., & Adamczyk, J. G. (2024). Recovery effect of self-myofascial release treatment using different type of a foam rollers. Scientific reports, 14(1), 15762. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-66577-x}}

_{^{Wiewelhove, T., Döweling, A., Schneider, C., Hottenrott, L., Meyer, T., Kellmann, M., Pfeiffer, M., & Ferrauti, A. (2019). A Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Foam Rolling on Performance and Recovery. Frontiers in physiology, 10, 376. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2019.00376}}