Home training with a foam roller. Is it really effective?

Home training with a foam roller in relation to the fascia

A foam roller is defined as a roller made of hard plastic (e.g. PVC, EVA foam or simply plastic), which allows you to perform home training aimed at relaxing over-tensioned muscle structures. In order to understand the phenomenon of foam rolling you should first of all know the essence of the whole problem. Intensive workouts, in addition to the sustained muscle tension, result in "glueing" of the fascia - an extremely thin structure covering the muscle tummy. It is very often compared to the form of a delicate coating surrounding the muscles. The fascias include, among other things, tendons, capillaries, collagen fibres of connective tissue, tiny tendons or muscle septals.

What is the fascia responsible for? It is, above all, additional protection for the muscle tissue against various microorganisms. Experts attribute an important role to it in the context of the proper functioning of immunity. It is often mentioned that fascia participates in regeneration processes (e.g. after muscle damage). What is more, physiotherapists emphasize its great role in the context of biochemistry and tissue hemodynamics or intramuscular septals.

Home training with a foam roller: benefits

Inflammation of the fascia is an effect of its excessive adhesion to muscle fibres. This, on the other hand, very often leads to the occurrence of more or less painful ailments, which may be accompanied by a limitation of the range of motion. The place of exaggerated tension is often referred to as the trigger point.

To relieve the pain, it is best to employ a home foam roller training, which after the first session can lead to a clearly noticeable improvement in the current state. The most important benefits of regular foam rolling include:

• neutralisation of pain and inflammation reduction
• restoration of the correct balance in terms of muscle tension
• improvement of the range of movement and prevention of possible restrictions
• increase in tissue metabolism

How often should you perform your home training with a foam roller?

In this case, saying that more is better will prove to be right! In addition to the post-workout period, it is worthwhile to spend several minutes doing foam rolling on days off from physical activity. Then the body will return to its proper condition much faster and will get rid of the troublesome functional limitations. It is also worth noting that home foam roller training will show beneficial effects in combination with stretching exercises or the use of certain physical stimuli, such as a visit to the sauna or a classic massage.