How does foam rolling compare to those plastic roller sticks? Same thing?

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TrainingBible Coaching
http://www.trainingbible.com

They discuss the amount of pressure used when using the foam roller, so if "The Stick" or "Tiger Tail" gets the same pressure, they should get the same result.... least that is my assumption.

I started increasing mileage 10% per week to train for a 100 mile ultra about a month ago, starting at 55 miles. When I hit 82 miles last week, my left achillies tendon flared up so bad, I was going to have to stop and seek surgery if I took another step. Friend recommended foam rolling and I was nearly healed and back running in only 2 days. Craziest thing I've ever seen. Been doing it several times a day since and hit 93 miles last week. Nearly pain free for every run now, which was certainly not the case before I started rolling.

I'm using the roller to seek out "pain spots" which I gather are adhesions and inflamed areas. Working on those lengthens them back out, which reduces strain. Makes sense with the language of the study. I'm definitely a believer now. And I could see why this works while stretching doesn't. Rolling fixes problem areas, stretching just pulls on them.

I'm new to it, so I could be wrong. But I'm definitely impressed.

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Zen and the Art of Triathlon. Strava Workout Log
Interviews with Chris McCormack, Helle Frederikson, Angela Naeth, and many more.
http://www.zentriathlon.com

I do the whole shebang. Roller on the legs, trigger point rollers and balls on the lower leg and foot. keeps me going.

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"In the world I see you are stalking elk through the damp canyon forests around the ruins of Rockefeller Center. You'll wear leather clothes that will last you the rest of your life. You'll climb the wrist-thick kudzu vines that wrap the Sears Towers. And when you look down, you'll see tiny figures pounding corn, laying stripes of venison on the empty car pool lane of some abandoned superhighway." T Durden

http://www.mobilitywod.com/[/url]

Supple Leopard Legion UNITE!!!

Yep, foam rolling saved my legs. Had bad IT band issues but not anymore. Oh, and for those who are going to buy one....get a good one like trigger point. You don't want the ones that look like a pool swim noodle (all foam). Those just break down after a few months and you end up with a dent in your roller.

Its a small preliminary study that seems to jive with my own anecdotal experience

I love my foam roller. I love a handheld roller too but I decided against shelling out $25 for one and instead picked up a wooden rolling pin for $1 at goodwill. Works perfectly.

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who's smarter than you're? i'm!

Have you had any issues with rolling multiple times a day? I have a nagging back / glute pain going on now I would like to roll multiple times a day but was always kind of scared I wouldn't give my muscle tissue enough time to recover (for lack of a better word).

I sometimes do it a few times a day, ESPECIALLY if I have a sore back. No problems from doing it multiple times

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who's smarter than you're? i'm!

x2 on the rolling pin. I have pretty much all of the trigger point rollers/balls and pin works just as well as the stick.

If it improved the vertical of the test subjects, this gives me hope that, with alot of rolling, I will be able to dunk again.

But seriously, it has cured my ITB issues. Hoping it will cure my mad calf too but haven't been so aggressive with that lately. Thanks for sharing.

2 to 4 times a day seems to be the sweet spot. For just about everything.

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Zen and the Art of Triathlon. Strava Workout Log
Interviews with Chris McCormack, Helle Frederikson, Angela Naeth, and many more.
http://www.zentriathlon.com

Interesting

I've had chronic achilles issues and have been put out of training for months at a time due to them. Tried every solution and have done a million eccentric heel drops. The one thing that I think actually helps is rolling- yes, but also getting my thumb in there very hard and breaking up the scar tissue. I'm working my way through 55-60mpw right now in prep for my 1st 50mi ultra. Training going well so far, and the achilles is under control.

but yes- I make love to my foam roller every evening for a half hour. Wife doesn't appear to be jealous.

I have had the same experience with my Achilles. My RMT promoted it big time. I tend to have tight calves leading to Achilles injuries.

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NCCP certified Comp coach

This is all really great stuff to hear. I picked up a Trigger Point when I was just getting into training for my 1st IM last year so I really dont have anything to compare it against. Great to hear that my investment is likely paying off..

I can do a slight comparison against stretching injured areas. Never had much luck in that department. Sometimes it would hurt, sometimes it would feel good...but in both cases I would still be fairly tender etc for days to come. Never had that issue when rolling (taking days to work out kinks).

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Can't wait to see which ST'er is the first to tell you that the time spent rolling your body would be better spent swim, bike and run training.....


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I'd much rather see a study that showed foam rolling pre-workout. Unless I have a nagging problem, I never use it post-workout.

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"That doesn't make any sense at all, you can be second, third, fourth... hell you can even be fifth." - Reese Bobby, Taladega nights

Ya, you are right - some young whipper snapper will say just that (heck, I would have :-| ). But not me. I'm am so sick and tired of my AT "issues." this thread gives me some additional hope that there may be light at the end of the tunnel. I've been rolling with a "spikey" roller my wife got at Target. It hurts so good. Now I realize I should (and can) roll more than I have been.

Thanks everybody

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I saw this on a white board in a window box at my daughters middle school...
List of what life owes you:
1. __________
2. __________
3. __________

+ 2 - My Physio guy is a big believer in using a baseball as it gives you the point to point contact to really work a specific area. Best $2 I've spent.

The study used 20 minutes of foam rolling... that sure seems like a lot. For me 5-10(max) minutes post run has been more than enough to keep my IT bands, glutes, and calves happy and coming back for more.

I've always wondered whether rolling just teaches the brain that stimulation/pressure on a given area won't necessarily result in micro tears, so the muscle relaxes, so it functions better the next time it's used. In other words nothing to do with 'breaking up adhesions' and everything to do with turning down the 'stop don't use it' alarms in the brain itself.

Having ITB issues myself, I'm curious which areas you adress with the foam roller. Do you perhaps have youtube examples of different rolling-strategies?