Not a highly technical piece of equipment but a must for anyone wanting to improve running speed and technique, reduce recovery time and help to stay injury free. All you need is your body weight to apply pressure through the foam roller to release built up areas of tension or “knots” in your muscles caused by repetitive motion such as running. The correct term for this is myofascial release.
Consistent foam rolling along with a good, regular dynamic stretching routine can help to improve mobility, ironing out muscular imbalances and improving running efficiency. This can particularly help before a run and when recovering from an injury. Seek advice of physiotherapist as required.
Additionally foam rolling post run increases blood flow and therefore oxygen to the muscles which helps to flush out waste products such as lactic acid reducing muscle soreness and recovery time. Lots of reasons to give it a go – your glutes will love you!