Foam roller

[Hules]

I have just ordered one! Does anybody else use one? Do you find it helpful? What exercises do you do on it? Thank you in advance

[weighty80 Graduate]

I bought one and use it after every run, but it hurts like @£$%*@£* and not really into it yet. Feel it does little for hamstrings, as I can't seem to relax them enough when I roll. Nice on the glutes, painful on the calves esp. if I point my toes forward. Nicest on the outside of the calves. Rolling the ITB is something else!!

Quite a good video here: youtube.com/watch?v=uyBcYI-...(Not working as expected?)

And something more sedate here: run.runandbecome.com/runnin...

Glutes, hams, calves, quads and ITB are the main ones, I think.

Good luck with it!

If nothing else, it's the only upper body exercise I'm doing just now, so I'll do it daily.

[waletta Graduate in reply to weighty80]

Liked the video- I have the feeling that this has come at the right time for me. Thanks.

[Hidden]

I used them at the gym after I tore my Achilles Tendon. They are good, I might just invest in one myself.

[Irishprincess Graduate]

Yes I bought mine last week and do the exercises every night. Just done them actually. FM it hurts! The first couple of nights I cried out in pain as my calves were so tight (and I stretch all the time!) but I've already noticed the difference. Everything is "looser". I also use a tennis ball and golf ball for my back as I get loads of knots there. The exercises in weighty80's video are pretty much what I do.

[weighty80 Graduate in reply to Irishprincess]

> FM it hurts!

Made me laugh.

(PS. That's not me in the video, by the way. )

[waletta Graduate in reply to weighty80]

He was quite easy on the eye. Probably shouldn't have said that out loud. Sorry I'm old enough to be his mum.

[Tinyrun Graduate]

Weighty80 just pretend it's you. Wow I've never seen exercises like that before. At 1.45 mins is sounds like there's a mouse in the ball. Eek! That one at 3.03 mins, well I would probably end up flipping the roller up and hitting myself in the face. Good luck Hules.

[flossieflyblow Graduate in reply to Tinyrun]

I think that it's his budgie at 1.45!

[flossieflyblow Graduate]

Just watched the video and looks like a good idea! I've used a tennis ball rather haphazardly on my tight calves, but this looks like it would be easier to use. Can't imagine what the family would say with me cavorting with one!!

[swanscot Graduate]

My sports physio gave me a bit of advice for if you find it too painful rolling your IT band as in the video. Start off rolling it without your full weight on it by putting the roller against the wall and moving your leg up and down pressing against the roller.

[weighty80 Graduate in reply to swanscot]

> Start off rolling it without your full weight on it

It's the only way I can manage!!!!

Good tip about rolling it against the wall - definitely worth a try.

[Nerdio Graduate]

This is an interesting post. I have been considering a roller for a while, more so as I have been convalescing for the past week, and feeling positively glum.

Have bitten the bullet, and just ordered one. Loose calves and happy back, here I come. I hope.

Thanks

[weighty80 Graduate in reply to Nerdio]

Worth picking up a tennis ball somewhere, too.

[notbad Graduate in reply to weighty80]

I use a baseball (I used so much pressure I broke a tennis ball ), it really helps, 'good pain' I call it.

[weighty80 Graduate in reply to notbad]

I've been eyeing up the plastic spikey tumble dryer balls.

"Good pain"... hah!

[notbad Graduate in reply to weighty80]

I was actually thinking the same thing about the spikey dryer balls... What has running done to us?!

[Hules Graduate]

Thanks everyone! My calves are really tight so hoping that will loosen then up at bit- not looking forward to the pain! I will try the wall trick first maybe....

[mustgetthin Graduate]

I might have to get one of those myself!

[weighty80 Graduate]

So in addition to foam rollers (of which there are a few different types, hardness/texture/etc...) a bit of google suggests quite a lot of folk use tennis balls as well as the spikey dryer balls.

Lacrosse balls also come up, and may be better than tennis as they're much harder, don't change over time as tennis balls will. The odd golf ball has been used on arms or for really precise pressure.

youtube.com/watch?v=EjOpzCL...(Not working as expected?)

Folk also use rolling pins on their legs, best if you can find one that still spins while holding the handles firmly.

I think it all comes down to how much pain you can take!

[swanscot Graduate in reply to weighty80]

I think I may have had piriformis syndrome (self-diagnosed) in December and all the articles I read suggested sitting/rolling on a lacrosse ball. I'd been using a tennis ball, but thought I may as well spend a fiver or so and get a lacrosse ball. It is slightly harder and less easily depressed - a consideration when using it for your butt, ie with all your weight on it. I felt it helped my periformis muscle which lies deep behind the glutes.

[Oldgirl Graduate]

You can pick up a pack of 3 doggie tennis balls in Asda for £1. If you like the idea of a smaller roller check to see if you have an old wooden rolling pin in the kitchen. For real hard firmness in a ball you could use a cricket ball but I'm not that much of a masochist myself Happy running and rollering