Tools, Tips & Truths: A Health & Fitness Series by Shireen Fabing

Oh hey!

This is an ongoing blog series sharing my favourite tools, tips and truths related to health, fitness and wellness.  My take, my perspective and my experiences.  We all wear many hats these days so these will be from the perspective of me as a mom, an athlete, boxing coach, personal trainer and entrepreneur – not always all at once and not always in that order!  My goal is to help, inform or motivate as many as I can!

December 9, 2020:  The Foam Roller

Foam rolling helps release tension in the muscles, relieves muscle soreness, and improves flexibility and range of motion.  I’ve linked an article from Harvard Health Publishing here which goes a little deeper into whether or not you should add rolling into your regime and who would benefit from it.

Now, if you have rolled, then you are aware of the benefits of this activity and I’ll share my take on the two main questions I get:

1. How often do you roll?
2. How often should I roll?

I aim for three to four times per week, but my current reality is an average of two, which I am working on improving.  I really try to make sure I foam roll BEFORE my body is telling me I need it.  Make sense?  My main body parts are the legs – IT bands and quads – and almost every time my knees ache, it’s my overused IT bands from running and not stretching properly or regularly.  Yup, guilty as charged.

I found this handy tool about seven years ago while training for my first fight.  I leaned back (as opposed to moving with my feet) during sparring and pinched something in the lower back three weeks before the fight.  Coupled with physio sessions, my homework was to roll out my back twice a day initially for the first week and then once before bedtime until the fight and until healed.  I felt the difference during the first physio session post injury and remember buying one that same evening. I’ve never looked back.  They range between $20 and $40 dollars as there are many variations these days and will provide relief almost immediately for many body parts.  Worth the investment.

Foam rolling to me is like stretching with the added benefit of getting deeper  into the tissue and fascia and the relief is almost immediate.  Of course, this is dependent on the severity of your tightness and/or injuries.  I am making an effort to working up to getting a roll in at least once per day for a few minutes and you can too.  I know people who roll pre and post workout just like you’d stretch or warm up and cool down so a daily is doable.

Make sure your doctor and/or physiotherapist is ok with you introducing a foam roller especially if you have injuries and a personal trainer can teach you how to use it.  Rolling shouldn’t be conducted if you have fractures or open wounds and some medical conditions like (and not limited to) rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis so make sure your doc is on board!