Why you should foam roll, and what it is doing to help your performance.

In this article, we reach out to Clinical Director and Physiotherapist of Physiologic Ryan Tan to talk about why you should foam roll, and what it is doing to help your performance.

Foam rolling is one of the most recognised forms of self recovery and many Physiotherapists will prescribe it for their athletes.

Here’s what you should know about what foam rolling actually does, and why it will help you stay on top of your game.

WHAT IS FOAM ROLLING

Foam rollers are typically cylindrical rolls made out of a firm foam, or a hollow PVC tube coated in foam.

Athletes will use foam rollers to help ‘release’ their tight and sore muscles, by positioning their body on top of the foam roller that uses their body weight to act as a trigger point release.

WHAT DOES FOAM ROLLING HELP WITH?

It has been proposed that foam rolling helps with

• Improving Blood Circulation
• Releasing Tight muscles
• Improving joint mobility
• Expediting Recovery
• Injury Prevention

Insider tip: It is important to note that the actual mechanism of how foam rolling helps, is most likely neurological.

Simply put, this means that the sensations you get from foam rolling are being interpreted as ‘positive’ stimuli, which in turn has a ‘pain reducing’ effect on the brain.

That then leads to the brain reducing the tension it’s creating on your tight muscles - leaving you feeling looser and in less pain!

YOUR ULTIMATE RECOVERY TOOLS STACKING

Realistically, foam rolling a few minutes a day in isolation will not have a significant impact on your recovery and performance.

However, if you stack regular foam rolling with other recovery protocols like using a massage gun, rehabilitative exercises, body work and optimising your sleep/nutrition, its positive effects will compound, boosting your performance from novice to elite.

Invest in a quality foam roller like VR’s Slim Recovery Roller that you can bring with you anywhere you go and never compromise on hitting your recovery targets ever again.

CONCLUSION: WHY FOAM ROLL?

On a physical level, regular foam rolling can simply help with reducing your muscle stiffness and improving your mobility.

But if done as part of a holistic recovery program, the results will be compounded and will elevate your health and performance.

If you’re ready to take your recovery to the next level, check out VR’s Elite Recovery Pack that has all the essentials you need to create a recovery routine that will set you apart from your peers.

 If you liked this article and want to see more epic content from Ryan, follow him on Instagram @physio.culture or head to Physiologic (www.physiologichk.com)