Why Foam Rolling Should be Part of Your Chiropractic Experience

You may be familiar with the benefits a foam roller can provide, or you may have already dismissed my attempt to give the round, uncomfortable-looking things a try. However, foam rollers are a diverse group, and according to chiropractors near me, you definitely shouldn't knock them until you’ve tried them. They allow you to perform a self-myofascial release technique, which in nonmedical terms means that you can use your own weight to help relieve trigger points in your top tissue layers. To break it down further, foam rolling can help you recover faster after a workout, ease muscle aches, and temporarily reduce back pain (so can chiropractors at Spine Align located in Greenville, North Carolina).

Styles to Consider

When shopping for your next purchase, there are a few options to consider.

• Density: this will determine how intense the pressure is on your muscles. If you're a beginner, I suggest starting off with a softer type (these are typically white). As someone who regularly works out, I use a blue roller with ridges (we’ll talk about surface next). Colors will be on the medium side (with black being the hardest). However, if you’re not looking online, I would take a hands-on approach to figure out their firmness by giving them a squeeze! The key is to find one that isn’t too hard, which will lead to bruising, or too light, which will be ineffective.
• Outer texture: this refers to the ridges, knobs, bumps, or smooth appearance of rollers. A smooth roller is a good starter since it gives an even pressure, and is typically cheaper. Those with higher textures will offer more intense massages.
• Length and width: Standard, long rollers are a safe bet when beginning to foam roll. They are a go-to when you need to target large areas of the body, such as the quadriceps or back. Shorter rollers, used for smaller sections of the body such as the calves, can be used when there’s minimum space to roll out and easily stored when traveling. The normal diameter of a roller is around 5 to 6 inches. For those interested in kicking the intensity up a notch, 3 to 4-inch rollers can provide a deeper, more specific massage.

Where to buy foam rollers locally

If you’re living in or around Greenville, North Carolina, I have some stores for you to check out.

• Walmart
• Target
• Dick's Sporting Goods
• Academy Sports and Outdoors
• Play It Again Sports

You may have a bad relationship with foam rollers, but as you can see, there are many styles, so I encourage you to give them another shot. Next week, we’ll talk about how you can roll out your muscles (that gives you time to go pick one up!). If you already have yours, and you're looking to get a headstart, talk with Dr. Mark Vellan or Dr. Lisa Prusinski at Spine Align Chiropractic Center about roller technique.

Written by Regan Vellan