By: Lisa Zeigel

You don't have to look very far to find information about the benefits of exercising. It is a proven fact: When you exercise regularly, you just feel better; and all kinds of physical conditions will improve, adding to the quality of your life. The more active you are, the better you will feel, right? Unfortunately, sometimes an active body will rebel, and the result could be aches and pains that will persist until you do something to relieve them. Part of the reason for this is that early on in your life, you may develop postural and movement habits that are less than optimal, forcing surrounding tissues to take on strain that they were not meant to take. Over time, "adhesions" develop, which occur due to continuing stress. For instance, if you suddenly take up running, but your hip flexors are tight and your hamstrings are not strong enough; over time you may develop discomfort somewhere in the body due to the hip's instability resulting from this muscular imbalance.

Many people either ignore or discount the significance of a little pain, so they let it go and continue the same activity until the pain really gets bad. At that point, the tissues have already been hard at work trying to repair themselves. Through a release of collagen, (a fibrous protein found in all of our tissues in varying levels), muscle movement becomes even more restricted as these collagen fibers bind over-worked muscles and fascia (a connective tissue surrounding the muscles) together. Trying to move beyond this restriction becomes even more painful. Stretching can help to a small degree, but the adhesions will still be there afterwards.

By now you should have guessed that it is important to address this pain and the resulting muscle stiffness, because if you don't, it will only get worse, and this could lead to an injury that will set you back even further. Even if you cease to exercise, you still have to get yourself around by walking, sitting, standing and other daily activities, so you can't really avoid using the affected body parts. So how to fix it? There are several approaches one could take, including special types of bodywork (massage), physical therapy, acupuncture, chiropractic, and acupressure, to name a few. However, all of these cost money and require special practitioners.

There is something you can do on your own. It only takes a few minutes a day, can help you feel better afterwards, and it costs very little: Foam rolling or more specifically, "self-myofascial release (or SMFR)." This a modality that has been a staple in physical therapy offices but along with many other therapy tools has ended up in fitness centers and in group exercise classes. I first became aware of foam rolls when I worked in a small private training studio. The SMFR technique was included in every client's program, using it as a part of the warm-up routine (after 5-10 minutes of light cardiovascular activity).

The idea behind SMFR is that by putting all of your body weight on top of a 3-foot-long, semi-solid, 6-inch-round length of foam, and then pulling yourself back and forth over it repeatedly, you will be breaking-up the adhesions that cause pain and restrict movement. This allows the connective tissue (fascia) to "slide" apart when you move, thus enhancing your range of movement and decreasing pain. This method does take some getting used to, and the movement aspect of it can be as challenging as any workout! But once you get the hang of it, it can become an addiction, because it feels so good. Well, that happens mostly after it's over.

An example of this is a movement you would do for the gluteal muscles, where you would simply sit on top of the foam roll, hands behind you on the floor, legs in the front with knees bent. You then roll yourself back and forth over the foam, just on the gluteals. You can then shift your weight onto one side, making the pressure more concentrated on that area. You might then feel a distinct pain - this is when you have a particularly tight adhesion. This means you really need a release right there! The best thing to do is to "hover" over that spot, that is, lift up slightly off the foam and rest there for 20-30 seconds. The pain should decrease, (but you may still feel a slight discomfort). You do need to feel a small degree of pain, but it should not be unbearable. After the rest of the time is up, you can gently roll over the foam again, but it should not be painful at all. If it is, just stop. If you repeat this process regularly, once or twice per day, the pain should continue to decrease, and you will notice that you feel better long after the rolling session. You will know that you have gone too far if you notice bruising, or if you have pain that worsens or persists.

Just about any body part can be "rolled," and the rolls come in different densities to suit various needs (from semi-soft to hard). The length and diameter can even be varied. Although the 3-foot length is more common, shorter rolls are easier to store and can be less difficult to manage when you are focusing on a smaller area of the body.

Another bonus of using the rolls is that they can double as exercise tools. Balance work and core work can be intensified using the full-round rolls, but half-rolls can be used as well. You can stand on them to perform any traditional exercise (squats, lunges) or lie on them for core exercises and postural alignment techniques.

Before attempting the SMFR technique on your own, I would highly suggest that you consult your physician or physical therapist. Having a professional guide you at first is a good idea, and do not be daunted if you don't "get" the technique right away. The learning curve is small, but the benefits are large!

Web sites, such as http://performbetter.com/ are a good way to find out more about foam rolls, as well as a good resource for all the different types that are available. So get on a roll, and get rid of muscle tension!

Lisa Zeigel is a personal trainer and a group exercise instructor who has been involved in health and fitness for more than 20 years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Cal State University, Dominguez Hills, and is certified by the American College of Sports Medicine as a health and fitness instructor and as a National Academy of Sports Medicine personal trainer. She has created unique wellness education programs and has taught healthy lifestyle classes for her local community. Currently, Lisa works with all types of clients and particularly likes to focus on new and returning exercisers, combining cutting-edge techniques with the tried-and-true. Most of all, she strives to make exercising fun and easy to integrate into each individual’s lifestyle. You can contact Lisa at fitgrrl@operamail.com.