“Would you pay yourself for a massage or soft tissue work?”
… You might be relatively pleased with your grip strength, but owning a hammer doesn’t make you a carpenter!
Shoulder and knee pain were by far the most common complaint we ran in to this week. The majority of people reported that they attempted foam rolling. This usually meant that they laid on the ground for about two minutes hoping the pain would just disappear. In this video we are going to discuss the WHY behind foam rolling. Understanding how the muscles and fascia (connective tissue that wraps around the muscles) influence shoulder and knee pain and flexibility is crucial for making progress.
Why Should You Foam Roll?
- Resolve Trigger Points
- Reduce Muscle Tension (aka Tone)
- Restore Muscle Length
- Promote a Parasympathetic (relaxed) State
What Should You Foam Roll?
For the shoulder, we discuss the inter-relationship between the latissimus dorsi, pectoralis and bicep. Understanding how these muscles influence the shoulder will give you direction in your foam rolling/soft tissue release efforts. Whether that is with a foam roll, lacrosse ball, tennis ball, etc.
For the knee, we primarily discuss pain located at the front of the knee in this video. Clients often blame old meniscus injuries and arthritis for their pain, overlooking the roll that the quadriceps have on knee compression. Stiff quadriceps can cause a significant increase in compression at the knee joint, which could be causing you pain. You are likely to run into this issue in squatting, lunging and running to name a few. Trigger points in these muscles can also cause referred pain to the knee joint.
So much exists on the internet today when it comes HOW you should foam roll or stretch. Don’t neglect the WHY. Having clarity and direction will make all the difference.
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