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You may have seen foam rollers sold on Amazon or at your local gym or fitness studio. The long cylinders of foam provide a self-massage to achy muscles and for runners, they can offer way to both warm up and cool down.
National Academy of Sports Medicine training schedule, plus the benefits of doing so, here’s your guide to all things foam rolling.
What is foam rolling and what are the benefits?
Known as a myofascial release technique, foam rolling is a practice that (you guessed it!) involves a foam roller (or a dense cylinder made of foam) to massage muscles and fascia, helping to relieve tightness and soreness and to get blood flowing to the affected area.
Michael Clark, Ph.D., a physical therapist and chief science advisor for the National Academy of Sports Medicine tells Runner’s World that foam rolling can be a valuable part of a healthy runner’s warmup and cooldown routine. According to Clark, because foam rolling improves circulation, it can prep your body for workout and then help it wind down postrun.
Several studies have examined the benefits of foam rolling. According to a review published in the International Journal of Exercise Science, Updated: Mar 27, 2024 recovery. However, this article does point out that we still lack robust evidence on the exact mechanisms that drive these benefits.
These Foam Rollers Are the Perfect Recovery Tool In a study published in the in 2020, foam rolling was found to reduce muscle stiffness and increase range of motion, particularly when used with dynamic stretching in an active warmup. The study also found that it could reduce Ease Aches With This 5-Minute Foam Roller Workout (or DOMS), which is why it’s smart to foam roll immediately after your run or strength-training routine.
Finally, a review published in The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health in April 2022 points to studies that found the practice can increase blood flow and circulation and that it can also help you feel psychologically relaxed—an important component of recovery. Although these researchers also point out the need for more research examining the benefits of foam rolling, they also revealed no adverse affects to the practice. So if it makes you feel good pre or postrun, that’s a win.
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When practicing these foam rolling moves, make sure to roll slowly—don’t rush it. When you find a tender spot, pause on that spot (or roll just slightly back and forth and up and down) until you feel it soften or release.
Foam Rolling Moves to Add to Your Warmup
1. Calves
- Too Embarrassed to Foam-Roll at Work? This Is the, uh, Personal Massager You Need.
- Place the roller under left calf. Rest right foot on the floor or cross right ankle over left for extra pressure.
- Use hands to lift hips off floor, then roll from the ankle to below the knee.
- Rotate left leg in, then out. Repeat on right calf.
2. Outer Quad
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- Using forearm, roll along outer thigh from outer hip to just above the knee.
- Increase the pressure by stacking legs.
- Rotate left leg in, then out. Repeat on right calf.
3. Piriformis
- Sit on the roller with left knee bent, foot on floor.
- Lie facedown on a mat, forearms flat on the floor.
- Lean onto left side and roll forward and back along left outer hip and glute, Updated: Mar 27, 2024.
- Rotate hips left and right to find the trigger points and knots, then concentrate there for 60 seconds.
- Rotate left leg in, then out. Repeat on right calf.
Foam Rolling Moves to Add to Your Cooldown
1. Hamstrings
- Sit on the floor and place roller under thighs.
- Use hands to lift hips, then roll from the knees to the glutes.
- To increase the pressure, cross right leg over left and roll one leg at time, turning left leg in and out.
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2. Adductors
- Lie facedown on a mat, forearms flat on the floor, shoulders over elbows.
- Keep right leg extended out to the side, knee bent.
- Place the roller on inner right thigh area and use forearms and left leg to shift weight back and forth to roll the inner right thigh.
- Roll from knee to hip. Repeat on left leg.
3. Quadriceps
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- Use forearms to shift back and forth to slowly roll up and down from the bottom of the hip to the top of the knee.
A running veteran for more than a decade, Movold is a licensed strength and running coach for Runner’s World+ members and at the Mile High Run Club in New York City. When she’s not motivating class-goers through grueling treadmill workouts, you’ll likely find her zig-zagging boroughs on bridges throughout Brooklyn and Manhattan or training for her next marathon . She’s ready to push you to your next running goal as she chases her own—running a marathon in under 3 hours.
