Favorite Foam Roller Exercises

Foam rolling is great to decrease tightness through the fascia and muscles. The fascia is a fibrous layer of connective tissue that surrounds all of the muscles in the body. The fascia layer sits between the muscles and the skin as a protective layer over the muscles. Foam rolling can help stretch muscles and strengthen core muscles. Here are 5 exercises using a foam roller!

1. Supine Pec Stretch. Take a long foam roller and lay on it parallel to your spine. Lay on the foam roller from the base of your skull to your tailbone. Bring your arms out to your side. Hold for 30 seconds to a minute. Repeat at least 2 times.
2. Swimmers. Laying on a foam roller from the base of your skull to your tailbone. Start with both arms up toward the ceiling. Slowly lower one arm over your head while lowering the other arm towards your hip. Alternate these movements with each arm. Complete 10-20
   repetitions.
3. Dead Bug. Laying on a foam roller from the base of your skull to your tailbone. Bend your knee and have a foot flat on the ground. Have the arm on the opposite side relaxed at your side. Straighten the leg and move the opposite arm over your head. Next move in an opposite motion to raise the other arm and straighten the other leg.
4. Illiotibial Band. Lie on your side and place the foam roller beneath the outside of your thigh just above the knee. Bring your other leg across the body and plant the foot on the ground. Using your upper body and that leg, roll the outside of the tight back and forth holding over tender spots for up to 10 seconds until the soreness subsides.
5. Achilles Tendon/Calf. In a seated position with your leg outstretched and your other knee bent, place the foam roller beneath the outstretched leg just above the ankle. Lift your body off the ground with your arms and then roll the lower leg back and forth, holding over tender spots for up to 10 seconds until the soreness subsides. For more compression overlap your other leg over the targeted leg.
   
   CLICK HERE FOR THESE, PLUS MORE, GREAT FOAM ROLLER EXERCISES!
   
   What’s your favorite way to foam roll? Let us know what you think of these exercises! They are great to complete as a part or following your workout!
   
   Rebecca Varoga, PT, DPT
   Physical Therapist
   Isanti Physical Therapy

PTC_therapy August 17th, 2019

Posted In: General