The New Rules of Foam Rolling

Foam rolling has become a widely-practiced activity—and that’s a good thing. But according to Tier 4 Coach Susan Stanley, despite the growing legions of fans, there's a need for mindfulness. It's actually a more nuanced technique than one might think. Some fans warm up using techniques that are best saved for post-workout roll-outs (or avoided altogether); others neglect to mix up their approach and thus risk a foam-rolling plateau of sorts. Here are the four most common mistakes and Stanley’s tips to correct them.

1

Add some texture

If the roller you’re currently using is pliant and has a smooth surface, you’ve got the wrong tool for the job. “The objective of pre-workout rolling is to stimulate nerve endings in the muscles in a way that sends a rich proprioceptive message to the brain,” says Stanley. The richer that message is, the better it will prepare your brain to control your body’s movements in the subsequent workout. Firmer rollers with a textured surface (such as the Trigger Point Grid) stimulate the nerve endings more effectively and reach deeper into the muscle’s myofascial layers than do the soft, smooth products most people use. These textured rollers also provide a superior post-workout roll.

2

Adjust your speed

Slow movements are fine when you are using a roller to relax the muscles after a workout, but a faster, more vigorous technique is better in a warm-up. “Remember, you’re trying to wake up your neuromuscular system, not put it to sleep,” Stanley cautions.

3

Pivot and pin-and-stretch

If you’re like most athletes, you move only in the direction of your muscle fibers. Stanley teaches clients to also roll across the “grain”—a technique known as cross-fiber friction—to add another dimension to that proprioceptive message to the brain. “Also,” says Stanley, “using different speeds and techniques like pivoting and pin-and-stretching the muscle and fascia can be much more effective than just rolling over the skin.” Althought these methods are typically done with a ball, you can incorporate them into your rolling routine, as well. In the pin and stretch, you 'pin' the tissue on the roller, then move the limb to stretch the tissue that's being pinned. Pivoting is a way to drive the roller a little deeper, engaging more layers of muscle and fascia, Stanley says. This is achieved by rocking (not rolling) the edge of the roller back and forth on the target spot, or twisting, like turning a faucet on and off, on that spot.

4

Save pain for later

Admit it: When you roll, you look for painful spots in your muscles and sort of “hang out” on them, trying to get them to relax. But according to Stanley, it’s best to save this kind of therapeutic self-torture for post-workout rolling. “Pain causes the brain to respond with a protective reflex that reduces muscle performance,” Stanley explains. In other words: Less pain, more gain! 

From Equinox Newsletter: Monday, September 8, 2014 | Matt Fitzgerald

For more on foam rolling/self-massage, click
HERE to see this excellent Flyers Blog 
piece that includes demonstration videos 
and more.

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Self-Myofascial Release (SMR) for Runners

Michael Conlon
Finish Line Physical Therapy

If you’re like most people, you have a love/hate relationship with the foam roller. You know it’s good for you, and you love how it feels-oh-so-good when it’s done … and yet, is it a mighty painful process getting there! One thing is true: introducing self-myofascial release (SMR) into your routine is one of the keys to preventing injury and improving performance.

What Happens When Muscles Get Tight

Muscles are surrounded by thin connective tissue layers called fascia. With exercise, your muscles grow and adapt, and fascial adhesions – called trigger points – can form that cause pain and prevent them from gliding smoothly. The foam roller helps to release restrictions by hydrating your muscles (i.e., by allowing needed fluids to more readily access the fascia) and increasing circulation, both of which relieve muscle pain and soreness. SMR also stimulates a relaxation-response, facilitates optimal muscle movement and performance by increasing flexibility, strength and mobility. It is one of the best ways to accelerate recovery time and decrease DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). 

A Few DOs and DON’Ts

Here are a few important things to remember every time you use the foam roller:

• DO take your time with each area of focus. 
• DON’T bomb up and down the leg as quickly as possible just to get it over with (we know you’ve done it before!). Let’s be honest: foam rolling is uncomfortable and painful. But the more methodical and relaxed you are in addressing each area, the more you’ll get out of it.
• DON’T hold your breath! 
• DO focus on complete inhales and exhales to connect the breath to each movement and maximize the effects of SMR.
• DO get up and move around after each technique in order to circulate more blood to the area.
• DO foam roll daily – and if you can, both before and after exercise. SMR before exercise can serve as a dynamic warm-up, helping to increase blood flow and prepare muscles to tolerate the upcoming demands of exercise. After exercise, it helps to flush tissue, create pliability and begin the recovery process. 

Self-Myofascial Release for the Quads/ITB

In a plank position, place the roller in the center of your leg just above kneecap. Slowly roll up 2 inches then back down an inch. Repeat. Holding that plank position, take a couple of horizontal passes (we like to call them “windshield wipers”) to massage the tissue, then bring your heel towards your butt 2x. You’ll actually feel the fascia stretching out, and it will likely be painful! Repeat that cycle all the way up the quad to your hip.

To address your outer quad/ITB, rotate just slightly so you’re in a side plank with the roller at 45 degrees on the lateral quad. This is key: make sure you aren’t directly on the ITB, but rather on the section of the muscle between the ITB and the central quad that you just rolled! Roll down 2 inches, then back up an inch. Repeat. Massage tissue with a couple of back and forth passes, then bring heel to butt 2x. Repeat down lateral quad to kneecap.

Click HERE to view a video demonstration.

Self-Myofascial Release for the Calves

Place roller beneath base of both calves, hands by your sides slightly in front of your hips. To increase the pressure on the calf, place your other leg on top of your shin throughout the sequence. You can also lift hips off ground to allow roller to support body weight.

Repeat the same trigger point sequence as with the quads: roll up 2 inches, then back down 1 inch. Repeat. Hold that position as you move leg side to side a couple of times to massage the tissue. Slowly bring your toes up toward your shin twice, flexing the ankle. Repeat that sequence, working your way all the way up the leg. Be sure to rotate your foot in and out to release the medial and lateral aspect of the calf. 

Click HERE to view a video demonstration. 

Self-Myofascial Release for the Glutes/Piriformis

Place a small ball (could be a lacrosse or tennis ball) underneath your right butt cheek in the glute area, as if you’re putting the ball in your back pocket. Flex your right leg up and out twice, bringing your knee towards your chest. Next, bend the knee and place your foot flat on the ground. Allow the knee to roll out twice, then let the knee roll in twice. Massage the area by rolling the ball around in small circles a couple of times in each direction. Repeat the sequence 2-3x.

Click HERE to view a video demonstration.

You can also use a roller on the glutes if you don’t have a ball. Starting with your right side, sit on the roller and cross your right leg over the left in a figure 4 position. Shift your weight so that the right glute is in center of the roller. Try to relax and sink down into the roller. Once you find a tight spot, in small oscillations, rotate hips back and forth so that you feel like you’re working out the tissue.

Are All Foam Rollers The Same?

Yes and no. Let me say this: any SMR work is better than nothing! But if you have a choice, opt for firmer rollers with texture, such as the GRID from Trigger Point. A textured surface most closely mimics what a person might do with his or her hands (such as using the palm, fingers or fingertips), allowing the user to apply more or less pressure to a targeted muscle group depending on tissue tolerance.

Blogmaster's Note: Michael Conlon is the founder and owner of Finish Line Physical Therapy, which he opened in 2006 to provide the highest quality of care, service, and personal attention in a comfortable, supportive, and friendly atmosphere. He has been a New York State licensed physical therapist since 1997. He is a certified full-body Active Release Techniques provider and is recognized as a Fellow of Applied Functional Science (FAFS) through the internationally acclaimed Gray Institute. He is passionate about endurance sports, both as a participant and coach, and has run 24 marathons and completed three Ironman triathlons. As a coach for the NYC chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma’s Team in Training program since 2002, Michael has trained hundreds of runners, from beginners to advanced marathoners.  -Dave K.

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Self-Massage for Runners

Polina Savelieva, LMT
Class Instructor

Blogmaster's Note:  This blog entry was written by Polina Savelieva, the instructor who generously guided the free Flyers Self-Massage Class discussed below.  For prior entries on the Flyers Blog about massage, please click HERE.  -Dave K, NY Flyers Blogmaster.

On Monday night, December 19^th, the JackRabbit Sports UWS community room was filled with NY Flyers eager to try their hands at learning self-massage. When it comes to self-massage, the best way to learn is by doing! So after a brief overview of the many benefits of massage, the runners were ready to learn and practice the techniques.

Using a foam roller and a tennis ball, Flyers were shown a series of movements to release the tension and tightness in the body, muscle by muscle.  Everyone got to practice the movements while focusing on good technique and body mechanics.  The workshop focused on muscles, tendons and ligaments most heavily used by runners. The participants left the class with a program to make them feel better and help prevent common running injuries.  Two lucky Flyers took home prizes: Colleen R won a foam roller courtesy of the NY Flyers by winning a heated competition when Flyers were instructed to try to spend exactly one minute foam-rolling their hamstrings (she came the closest!), and Siggy T was the lucky raffle winner of a gift card generously donated by JackRabbit Sports.

Smiling Flyers Feeling Good
At the End of Class

THE BENEFITS OF SELF-MASSAGE

We've all heard that recovery is an important part of training and that a sports massage is an excellent choice to maximize your days off. We also know that despite our best efforts, sometimes there just isn't enough time left in the day to see a professional.  The Self-Massage Workshop was created to empower athletes of all levels with skills to reduce pain and fatigue, prevent injuries and speed up recovery time.

The physiological benefits of self-massage are essentially the same as the benefits of seeing a licensed practitioner.  The myofascial release performed with a foam roller is endorsed by sports doctors, physical therapists, athletic coaches, and personal trainers as an effective tool to prevent and treat injury!

With quality training, good technique and practice, regular self-massage can reduce the need to see a massage therapist. Of course in case of severe, lingering or undiagnosed injury an appointment with a professional is still recommended.

Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of starting a Self-Massage Program:

• Decrease post-exercise soreness by reducing inflammation in the affected muscle tissue
• Promote faster recovery by stimulating cells to replace damaged muscle tissue with healthy, new muscle
• Prevent restriction in flexibility and restore range of motion to normal levels
• Decrease hypertonicity (stiffness) of muscles and tendons
• Reduce muscle cramps and spasms
• Increase circulation to target muscles and warm-up the tissue before event
• Nourish and hydrate the body’s fascia, the connective tissue that binds together the muscles, the skeleton and all internal organs

A short list of common running injuries that respond well to self-myofascial release:

• IT Band Friction Syndrome
• Chondromalacia Patella
• Sciatica and Piriformis Syndrome
• Achilles Tendinitis
• Plantar Fasciitis
• Shin Splints
• Low back pain

WHAT TO FOCUS ON

The areas to focus on will vary from athlete to athlete, based on previous injuries, type of training (speed or long-distance), body mechanics and skeletal structure. It is a good idea to meet with a practitioner before starting a self-massage program.  A good massage therapist can easily identify the tight problem areas that are unique to you. With time and experience, working on yourself will help you more easily detect the areas that need attention.

In general for a runner, these are the muscle groups that need the work: hips and glutes, hamstrings, quads, IT band, adductors, shins and calves, feet, deep abdominal flexors and the diaphragm.

TECHNIQUE! TECHNIQUE! TECHNIQUE!

Self -massage should be relaxing. When working on a tight spot, keep the rest of the body nice and relaxed. This will allow you to focus in on the target area and prevent tension build-up elsewhere.  Use your breath to help release tight hot spots (trigger points). 

When using the foam roller, pay attention to body mechanics and posture. The tension in the shoulders, low back and wrist joints should be kept to a minimum. Instead, direct the bulk of your weight into the foam roller. 

To get maximum results, the roller should be your strongest point of support to allow for most counter pressure at the area you are working on.  Avoid holding yourself up by using your arms and letting your shoulder rise when on your side. (Your arms should not be shaking!) Keep core abdominal muscles strong to avoid excessive arching of low back.  Maintain good alignment of the spine. Do not bend at the waist or round the spine when working on the IT band. Think strong clean lines from head to toe. Practice in front of the mirror to improve body mechanics. 

Work the entire length of the muscle.  A common mistake is to grind the same painful spot over and over. It is okay to concentrate on tight areas, but be sure to work the whole muscle from origin to insertion for best results.

Don’t Rush! Most people start out by doing the exercises too fast, which reduces the benefits.  It also is easier to pay attention to your body mechanics when you slow down.  Spend at least 1-2 minutes per muscle group (more if it feels tight). Use a timer to make sure you are not rushing through the movements.

Self-massage can be done everyday! It can be done before you run as a warm-up, after you run as a cool down/stretch, and on your days off for recovery.  Go through the complete lower body sequence at least once a week. If you are training, you may find that daily use of a foam roller and tennis ball on problem areas is not too much!

Self-massage is an effective and inexpensive system to help you stay healthy. Give it a try today!

VIDEO CLIP FROM THE WORKSHOP

The following video clip was taken during the workshop.  The instruction shown in this clip focuses particular attention on the IT Band, lower back, hips and glutes.

INSTRUCTOR'S BIO

Polina Savelieva is a runner, triathlete and NYS licensed massage therapist, trained at the Swedish Institute.  She has a full-time private practice with a strong client base for sports massage and injury recovery/prevention.  Polina is also currently employed by Eastside Massage Therapy on the Upper East Side.  Her previous clinical and volunteer experience includes Jacob Perlow Hospice, NYC Triathlon, NYC Marathon and Crossfit Games.

Polina is available for massage sessions and private self-massage instruction by appointment. For more information and to schedule a session, please e-mail polina.savelieva@gmail.com or call (646)283-4657.  For updates and special promotions visit Facebook page: Polina LMT.

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New Findings on Massage



Dave K

In 2010, this blog reported that: "there's no definitive research showing that massage either benefits or doesn't benefit runners."  However, you may want to read the 2010 blog post on massage for information and resources.

And, now, there's good news for massage enthusiasts!  Recently, there appears to be growing scientific evidence of the benefits of massage for athletes and overall health.

In February 2012, a New York Times reporter wrote that that researchers have found what happens to muscles when a massage therapist goes to work on them.  In the article, titled How Massage Heals Sore Muscles, results were discussed of a study published earlier that month in the Science Translational Medicine journal. 

The study concluded that massage can effectively reduce inflammation and promote cell function and repair.  Further, the study found that massage works quite differently from anti-inflammatory drugs, which reduce inflammation and pain but may actually retard healing, while massage can both suppress inflammation and actually enhance cell recovery.

Then in March 2012, the Wall Street Journal reported that new studies are showing it has a wide variety of tangible health benefits.  In the article, Don't Call It Pampering: Massage Wants to Be Medicine, the Wall St Journal noted that "Research over the past couple of years has found that massage therapy boosts immune function in women with breast cancer, improves symptoms in children with asthma, and increases grip strength in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome." The article went on to note that massage is effective for treating lower back pain, and offers other benefits.

And there you have it.  So, the next time you go for a massage that others may call frivilous, you can tell them it's not a luxury but a necessity for serious athletes.  I'd write more about this topic, but I've got to dash off for my massage appointment (sorry, not funny, couldn't resist).

-Dave K
Flyers Blogmaster

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Massage for Runners

Dave K.

The massage research verdict is in at last! Unfortunately, the verdict is that it appears that there's no definitive research showing that massage either benefits or doesn't benefit runners.

That said, many runners (including me) feel that massage is helpful for recovery, injury prevention, and possibly even makes us speedier runners.

For those who feel likewise, here's some information and resources.

Why Massage?

According to Running Times magazine, massage may help to remove lactic acid and other by-products of running. Further, massage may result in decreased muscle tension and greater flexibility, translating into stronger, more injury-resilient muscles on race day. Massage also can break down scar tissue, and otherwise accelerate processes that would otherwise occur slowly in the body, if at all.

Flyer Janis E. views massage as a necessity, not a luxury, although she says her husband hasn't quite bought into the notion yet. Maybe she shouldn't come home with such a big smile on her face after her massage?

Deena Kastor

I've heard that elite marathoner Deenna Kastor likes getting massages so much that she married a massage therapist. Seriously, her husband treats her to daily massages, stretching her out on the massage table pre-run, and then massaging her post-run.


Active Release Technique (ART)

In addition to traditional "sports massage," there are variations such as ART, which is a patented and specialized manual therapy technique practiced by some sports chiropractors and massage therapists. It involves applying pressure around a tight area while moving the affected muscle through its range of motion, and when done by a sports chiropractor also involves advanced diagnosis and often running form analysis. For information on ART, visit www.activerelease.com.

Do it Solo

For those of us who don't have the budget to get massaged as frequently as we might like, we can self-massage. Our muscles. I use both The Stick and a foam roller.

Click here for a Runners World's article on Foam Rolling for Runners, and here for their series of videos.

Also, if you save back issues of Runner's World, there's an article in the January 2010 issue called Release 2.0 that highlights Facilitated Active Stretch Therapy (FAST). The article will walk (well, massage) you through self-massage Active Release Therapy techniques for shoulders, achilles tendon, hamstrings, IT Band, and calves.

Massage and ART Practitioners

NY Flyer and triathlete, Dr. Marc Bochner, a chiropractor who is licensed in Active Release Technique and has extensive experience using ART and other soft tissue techniques and has helped many Flyers in the past. When I was a fairly brand new runner, he helped me with a calf strain right before my first-ever Half Marathon, which I ran without any flare-up in my calf. He also has an trademarked injury prevention program called "Prepare to Compete", which involves self-treatment techniques and exercises.

Chiropractor Robert DeStafano, who's not a Flyer, is the originator of the FAST approach to self-massage discussed above and he has a practice in NYC.

My favorite haunt for getting fantastic massages is East Side Massage on E. 78th Street. All the therapists are top notch, and my favorite is Kristina. Kristina is a runner, with NYC 2010 her first ever marathon, and so in addition to her exceptional training and skills she has extraordinary insights and understanding of runners' bodies.

There also are Flyers who are licensed massage therapists, including Flyer Coach Joe Y., and Flyer Melanie A. (although she's no longer in the massage business).

Questions

• Are there any other Flyer practitioners out there? Please make yourselves known in the comments section of this Blog post -- we need you!

• Does anyone have additional information or resources to share with us on massage for runners? If yes, please post in your reply.

• Would any massage therapists-in-training like to practice on me for free (hey, it's important to hone your skills!)? Oh well, no harm in asking...

- Dave K.

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