By Mike Giunta, PT, DPT, CSCS
Foam Rollers: the mobility tool that many people have but few actually use on a consistent basis. Why is that? Foam rollers went through a fad a few years back where it seemed like everyone used one. But now, they tend to sit in the corner of a gym or our home collecting dust. This may be because there’s little education on the correct movements to perform with the foam roller, or lack of a quick, streamlined routine to perform on a daily basis.
Like most mobility routines, they only work if you do them consistently. Here are 7 foam roll techniques that you can do in just 7 minutes to help improve your mobility.
1) Calf Foam Rolling Exercise
(30 sec each side)
2) Foam Roll Hamstrings
(30 sec each side)
3) Hip Flexor and Quad Foam Roll
(30 sec each side)
4)TFL and ITB Release
(30 sec each side)
5) Piriformis Foam Roll
(30 sec each side)
6) Thoracic Mobility Thread the Needle
(30 sec each side)
7) Thoracic Spine Foam Roll
(1 min)
Try to perform these every day for a month and let us know how you feel!
The foam roller is a great tool to pull out if you don’t have a lot of time and you still want to work on mobility and get your body moving. Try our guide on some quick exercises you can do if you you work from home that are a great way to keep your body from feeling the aches and pains of all day sitting. Or, if you want to give yourself a personal mobility assessment, we also wrote a piece called Mobility Self Assessment that you can try in your own, personal space.
If you are interested in working directly with one of our physical therapists or would like to improve your strength and mobility, you can reach out using our online form, found here.
