After you get through that brutalHIIT classor long run, your muscles are most likely going to be sore.
Those hardworking muscles were broken down during exercise and need rest to repair themselves.
That trusty foam roller.
Photo: Alvarez / Getty Images.
Some gyms even offer specific foam rolling recovery class workouts dedicated to rolling out muscles.
It seems too simple to mess up, right?
If foam rolling hurts more than it helps, you may not be approaching the practice safely.
Using the same pressure for every spot isn’t smart, says Aronsen.
“Some areas you work on may not have much tension, while other areas might have a lot.
It’s tough to know what pressure is best.
It shouldn’t feelcomfortablewhen you’re rolling out muscles, especially when hitting trigger points.
If you feel no discomfort, your pressure is probably too light.
But if you start to feel excruciating pain, you’ll want to pull back.
Mild discomfort, with steady pressure, is to be expected, says Aronsen.
“Start with static, then go to dynamic,” advises Lemmer.
If you get bruised from foam rolling, you’ll probably want to ice it.
Then roll the length of the muscle, recommends Lemmer.
And you want to be careful when digging deep into trigger points.
They can also be a place where a lot of nerves come together.
“You may experience tingling, pulsing, or limbs ‘falling asleep.’
That’s when you should move your location or change position.
It indicates you’re pressuring nerves improperly or limiting blood flow,” he advises.
For one, it literally cannot be loosened.
Other areas to steer clear of include the lower back, neck, and pubis region.
“Lie on your belly and place one arm over the roller at the armpit area.
“Some people enjoy using a tennis ball to get deeper into more specific smaller areas.
Reach out to a licensed physical therapist or personal trainer for guidance with safe stretching and foam rolling.
It’s always better to turn to the pros than risk an injury.
So pick areas with the least tightness to start with, then move your way to the tensest.
“People who roll too fast are simply doing it wrong,” says McCamish.
