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Re: Is foam rolling a myth? [Jloewe] [ In reply to ]
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Jloewe wrote:
My two cents, as a guy who has a bachelors degree in exercise physiology. Although it’s been 6 years since I graduated and 2 years since I’ve worked in the field.

Technically speaking there is no correlation between stretching and sports performance or injury prevention (assuming you’re not a gymnast or a hockey goalie that needs hyper flexibility).

Foam rolling has been shown to increase flexibility at least as much as proper static stretching, and can be done on cold muscles.

Foam rolling in apparently healthy adults has no (or at least very little) risk of injury provided there isn’t some underlying conditions that would result in such like easy bruising in anemia or osteoporosis.

Overlooked area of training the psychology of it. If it makes you feel better (which with everyone I’ve ever worked with or known that has foam rolled it does) do it. It’s so low risk might as well have fun with it. I always feel like a new man when I get up.

I was about to say in regards to the stretching - I was a gymnast for over 15 years...and if you didnt stretch - you got hurt haha but then I read the last part of your sentence. Well played lol
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Re: Is foam rolling a myth? [PTinAZ] [ In reply to ]
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PTinAZ wrote:
cloy wrote:
Just got back from my sports chiropractor's office for some IT band issues. After he did some dry needling and graston therapy, I asked where I should roll at home to help increase my hip mobility. He said in absolutely no way should I be rolling out and that a lot of the studies coming out now are showing that it's ineffective. He's incredibly knowledgeable and very skilled, but this took me back. Thoughts?

Mechanism on why it "helps" is a bit unclear, but most evidence/theory points to it reducing the perception of "tightness" neurologically (to put it in layman's terms).

Most experts agree is doesn't "break up" scar tissue or really do anything mechanically to soft tissue.

It's not really a tool to treat injured tissue either. But boy, I sure do have patients walk in my office who roll the hell out of themselves. In the back of my mind I usually think...dang, you should spend that 30 minutes and go run or swim a bit more! :-) Just yesterday, 23yr old trail runner who came into my office had 3-4 bruises all along her lateral thigh...from you guessed it...."rolling out her IT band" . If anything, this set her recovery back!

Is it a horrible tool?...I wouldn't say that...is it this amazing, self treatment tool that can fix or help anything? (which seems to be the perception to some)...no. I usually end up telling folks .."if you think it's REALLY helping you, then use it a little"...but honestly, I end up telling folks they are doing it too much or to chill out with the roller as we discuss where to spend their time recovering.

A few PTs in Michigan have told me the same thing. Makes sense.

Aaron Bales
Lansing Triathlon Team
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Re: Is foam rolling a myth? [cloy] [ In reply to ]
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It must be a damn good placebo then 'cause it works for me.
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Re: Is foam rolling a myth? [cloy] [ In reply to ]
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cloy wrote:
Just got back from my sports chiropractor's office for some IT band issues. After he did some dry needling and graston therapy, I asked where I should roll at home to help increase my hip mobility. He said in absolutely no way should I be rolling out and that a lot of the studies coming out now are showing that it's ineffective. He's incredibly knowledgeable and very skilled, but this took me back. Thoughts?

Why did you go to chiro? Aren't they only about spine? Maybe you should visit a sports physio? I did have IT band issues way back, rolling did help. Having said that, I have no black and whits scientific evidence that it was the rolling and nothing else that helped in a way that internet forum communities often demand to know :-)
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Re: Is foam rolling a myth? [cloy] [ In reply to ]
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As a few other people have said, rolling your IT band itself may not help with the issue. You can roll your glutes (or hit them with a lacrosse ball!) and that will sometimes help release the IT band as well. There's a muscle that is layered in with the IT Band called the Tensor Fascia latae and sometimes rolling to release this will help too. As for general rolling, I find it helpful, especially as someone who is not the most flexible. Both rolling and stretching (especially after workouts) have kept me healthy!
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Re: Is foam rolling a myth? [no_regrets_evr] [ In reply to ]
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no_regrets_evr wrote:
As a few other people have said, rolling your IT band itself may not help with the issue. You can roll your glutes (or hit them with a lacrosse ball!) and that will sometimes help release the IT band as well. There's a muscle that is layered in with the IT Band called the Tensor Fascia latae and sometimes rolling to release this will help too. As for general rolling, I find it helpful, especially as someone who is not the most flexible. Both rolling and stretching (especially after workouts) have kept me healthy!

Fully respecting what I'm about to say is anecdotal, but:

After dealing with ITBS for a while, and stretching and strengthening like crazy, I was going mad with the inability to make progress. I was aware of rolling, but sort of had it in my mind it was snake oil, for reasons I don't remember. Anyway, something prompted me to try it. My god, I have never felt pain from a non injury like that before, and I made some crazy noises. It was like every muscle in my upper leg released. Over 2 sessions one night, my ITBS was completely banished. I still do stretching, rolling, and strengthening as prevention, but it absolutely directly solved the problems I was having. My leg muscles were crazy tight.

JustinDoesTriathlon

Owner, FuelRodz Endurance.
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Re: Is foam rolling a myth? [cloy] [ In reply to ]
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cloy wrote:
Just got back from my sports chiropractor's office for some IT band issues. After he did some dry needling and graston therapy, I asked where I should roll at home to help increase my hip mobility. He said in absolutely no way should I be rolling out and that a lot of the studies coming out now are showing that it's ineffective. He's incredibly knowledgeable and very skilled, but this took me back. Thoughts?
It's the other way around. Foam rolling's effectiveness is supported by science whereas chiropraxia is not.
The irony is...funny or sad. Not sure.

https://scholar.google.com/...Foam+roller+recovery
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Re: Is foam rolling a myth? [cloy] [ In reply to ]
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I try to roll out daily and can feel the difference in my recovery when I don’t. It only takes couple mins. I have a love / hate relationship with it.
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Re: Is foam rolling a myth? [Thorax] [ In reply to ]
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"Supported by science" or the contrary should not be religion. In today's world only what gets funded is tested scientifically, and that makes it biased. In addition, most studies are a statistical joke at best. With n=10 or the likes, you are hardly going to prove anything relevant.

In issues like foam rolling, it's so cheap, just try it. If it works just keep on doing it. If it doesn't you've lost a couple dollars and some minutes. If it's a placebo, great! Placebo has no known side effects.
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Re: Is foam rolling a myth? [ecce-homo] [ In reply to ]
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It's literally the opposite of religion. Science is knowledge. The available body of science overwhelmingly says chiropraxia is BS while supporting the foam rolling.
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Re: Is foam rolling a myth? [Thorax] [ In reply to ]
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Sometimes, but not always. Many "scientific studies" are not worth the paper they are printed on. A study on whatever with n=10-30 being all from the same community, proves next to nothing most of the times. Most if not all studies on matters that affect this forum fall in that category. It's essentially business backed religion disguised as science.
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Re: Is foam rolling a myth? [ecce-homo] [ In reply to ]
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ecce-homo wrote:
"Supported by science" or the contrary should not be religion. In today's world only what gets funded is tested scientifically, and that makes it biased. In addition, most studies are a statistical joke at best. With n=10 or the likes, you are hardly going to prove anything relevant.

In issues like foam rolling, it's so cheap, just try it. If it works just keep on doing it. If it doesn't you've lost a couple dollars and some minutes. If it's a placebo, great! Placebo has no known side effects.

That’s taking for granted there aren’t any negative consequences, like agitating the muscle and slowing recovery time.

@floathammerholdon | @partners_in_tri
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Re: Is foam rolling a myth? [cloy] [ In reply to ]
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It could be, it just is going to cost you a couple of dollars and a few minutes to find out. Nothing you are not going to recover from. That's for sure. So worst case is you are a couple of dollars shorter, have waste a few minutes from your life and are going to recover 1-2 days slower than usual. The risk maybe worth trying.
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Re: Is foam rolling a myth? [cloy] [ In reply to ]
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cloy wrote:
Just got back from my sports chiropractor's office for some IT band issues. After he did some dry needling and graston therapy, I asked where I should roll at home to help increase my hip mobility. He said in absolutely no way should I be rolling out and that a lot of the studies coming out now are showing that it's ineffective. He's incredibly knowledgeable and very skilled, but this took me back. Thoughts?

I'm willing to go as far as to say that foam rolling is fucking inept coping. Dry needling and graston as well. It's hopelessly worthless. One needs a proper rehab plan, not some quack who hurts you with metal spoons and thin needles. And a proper rehab plan does not incorporate hurting yourself with a roller; likely you hurt yourself because of inability to tolerate load and foam rolling does nothing for this.

Endurance coach | Physiotherapist (primary care) | Bikefitter | Swede
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Re: Is foam rolling a myth? [mortysct] [ In reply to ]
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What would you say to someone who hasn't been able to run since December 25th, who has been rolling, using a lacrosse ball to dig into their glutes, hammies, quads, got dry needled, got a deep tissue massage, has been doing lying hip abduction exercises and single leg dead lifts and single leg squats to improve hip mobility and strength, and is still under excruciating pain when they merely walk from their car to their office?

I don't know what more I can do.

@floathammerholdon | @partners_in_tri
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Re: Is foam rolling a myth? [cloy] [ In reply to ]
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cloy wrote:
What would you say to someone who hasn't been able to run since December 25th, who has been rolling, using a lacrosse ball to dig into their glutes, hammies, quads, got dry needled, got a deep tissue massage, has been doing lying hip abduction exercises and single leg dead lifts and single leg squats to improve hip mobility and strength, and is still under excruciating pain when they merely walk from their car to their office?

I don't know what more I can do.

1) That you're a common example of how foam rollers/balls/rollers DON'T work to treat injured tissue

2) That you likely haven't had a proper clinical exam and are playing Dr Google.

CB
Physical Therapist/Endurance Coach
http://www.cadencept.net
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Re: Is foam rolling a myth? [PTinAZ] [ In reply to ]
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Who should I go to in order to receive a proper diagnosis?

@floathammerholdon | @partners_in_tri
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Re: Is foam rolling a myth? [cloy] [ In reply to ]
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cloy wrote:
Who should I go to in order to receive a proper diagnosis?

Ask around for a "word of mouth" referral, preferably someone who knows endurance athletes and is going to perform a thorough clinical exam (as in spend time with you and watch you move). May be an MD, may be a PT, depends what is in your area.

CB
Physical Therapist/Endurance Coach
http://www.cadencept.net
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