Foam Roller Exercises

February 7, 2008 by Jimson Lee

~~Retail Price: $32.31~~ Sale Price: $29.08

Last weekend, I was at the Death Valley Marathon and one of my athletes had a very tight IT band.

Obviously, he suffers from IT band syndrome. And with the course having a very long downhill section, it was imperative that his IT band and quads were both loose and ready for the challenge.

As part of my pre-travel check-list, I always carry my travel size foam roller.

I already wrote about foam rollers from my days at the Stanford Myofacial Institute (now called SMI). You can read the article here, or click here to download the PDF guide. Yes, that is ~~Jason Lunn~~ Michael Stember in the photos demonstrating the use of the foam roller. (To get this inside joke, click here)

Why I Like Foam Rollers

Foam rollers are versatile tools for stretching, rehabilitation, physical therapy and fitness workouts. Popular applications include massage and now we see a surge of use in Yoga and Pilates.

Stretching with a foam roller is a great addition to any exercise routine as it helps improve flexibility for better range of movement.

When a foam roller is used in a physical therapy exercise program, it aids in the healing process by promoting spinal stabilization, alignment, myofascial release and balance training.

Here is a 4 minute video from YouTube that describes some Foam Roller Exercises. Part 2 is here.