Research Backed Reasons Why Runners Should Foam Roll
My relationship with my foam roller is probably similar to a lot of other people where I know I need to do it but probably don’t do it as much as what I probably should.
I did have an almost religious awakening one winters morning when the usual stiff and sore legs from my week of training, had disappeared and I was able to move freely, without pain after I had done a short foam roller session the night before.
It’s something I recommend to anyone no matter what the issue is, get on the foam roller and roll all the muscles in your body. Below is some great research to help convince you of the benefits of foam rolling.
Of course if symptoms persist, make sure you do see a Sports Physician to make sure you there are no major problems.
Foam Rolling Improves Performance
Published in the “International Journal of Exercise Science”, researchers form the Nova Southeastern University and A.T. Still University took eleven trained athletes and asked them to perform two warm routines so they could compare the two. The two routines were a total-body dynamic warmup and a total-body dynamic warmup with a total-body foam rolling session.
After each warm up, the athletes were then tested for flexibility, power, agility, strength, and speed. The results indicated that the dynamic warm up that included foam rolling was more effective at improving power, agility, strength and speed compared to simply doing a dynamic warm up on its own.
Foam Rolling Improves Range Of Motion
Another study from the University of Stirling and the Scottish Institute of Sport in the UK, looked at knee extension and flection range or motion. They had 16 healthy, active males, who were asked to complete two minutes of rest or two minutes of foam rolling of the knee extensors on three consecutive days. They found the muscles mechanical properties were altered following three days of foam rolling and by using a foam roller for a sustained period of time, you will be able to alter the muscles mechanical properties and enhance muscular efficiency.
Foam Rolling Reduces Fatigue
In a study from Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany took a group of forty-five healthy adults who engaged in regular physical activity. The participants were separated into three groups. The first used a foam roller before fatiguing exercise, the second group used a foam roller, immediately after fatiguing exercise, with a third group as a control, did not do any treatment.
Both groups that were using a foam roller, were asked to use the foam roller for five minutes, targeting the knee extensors, hamstrings, adductors, calf muscles and the iliotibial tract, for 30 seconds each. The results showed that using a foam roller either before or after exercise reduced neuromuscular exhaustion with regards to the maximum force production. The results showed that foam rolling after exercise may provide a greater benefit, but only slightly.
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Vince Sesto is a DevOps Engineer, Endurance Athlete, Coach and Author. One of his passion’s in life is endurance sports as both an athlete, coach and author. He is a certified running and triathlon coach with a goal to inspire people through his coaching and competition and to encourage people to live active and healthy lives.
His motto in life is, “I am trying to change the world, one run at a time”.
