Foam Roller - Implement of Torture

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ft_critical
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Foam Roller - Implement of Torture

Postby ft_critical » Thu Feb 21, 2013 1:54 pm

What results have people had from the cylinder of pain?
Usage tips?


viewtopic.php?f=49&t=44690&p=676769&hil ... er#p676769
yes looked at the above.

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Re: Foam Roller - Implement of Torture

Postby Eleri » Fri Feb 22, 2013 6:36 am

I use one of these often:

If you have a friend - get them to roll out slowly up your ITB by lying on your side with your top leg supported on a mat. It hurts. A lot.

By yourself, put as much of your body weight on the roller as possible and slowly roll back and forwards.

I also use it stretch out and relax my shoulders. Lie flat on your back with your head and hips supported (I have a long one). Hold your abs in tight and move your arms back behind your head and slowly down to your sides. Keep doing this. Don't let your back arch.

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Re: Foam Roller - Implement of Torture

Postby slian » Fri Feb 22, 2013 11:21 am

I've just started experimenting with these at the gym and judging by the adage of 'no pain no gain', they must be good :)

Anyone know where I can get one for home use?

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Re: Foam Roller - Implement of Torture

Postby nescius » Fri Feb 22, 2013 12:06 pm

My girlfriend is a physio so I am well acquainted with many implements of torture including the foam roller.

I know it's good for me, and I do feel better when using it regularly, but if I go for a while without using it the pain is pretty bad (quads and itb especially). I don't have any specific tips, just roll out anything that's tight and be aware that it is going to be pretty painful.
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Re: Foam Roller - Implement of Torture

Postby DCP » Fri Feb 22, 2013 12:27 pm

Have had a foam roller for years and it has caused me lots of good pain. Paid about $30 inc delivery from my fading memory.

I originally bought it to relieve ITB pain from too much running, worked a treat.

Reminds me to pull it out of the cupboard for some release :lol:

Google foam rollers and there are a lot of links, this is like mine https://www.hartsport.com.au/products/2-057" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Re: Foam Roller - Implement of Torture

Postby Dr_Mutley » Fri Feb 22, 2013 12:42 pm

Just remember, foam rollers just treat symptoms of tightness, not the cause... If your getting excessive ITB tightness or pain then tune your bike fit/setup to reduce this...

This isn't an anti roller post (I have one myself) but just pointing out prevention is much better than symptomatic treatment...

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Re: Foam Roller - Implement of Torture

Postby Toolish » Fri Feb 22, 2013 1:03 pm

I have been using one to work on my thorasic flexibility in the hope it will help with some shoulder pain on the bike for the last 2-3 weeks.

Seems to be working, and helping general posture too.

Used it to roll out calves after a run the other day....that hurt a lot but seemed to help recovery.

I was sceptical, but so far it seems a good investment.

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Re: Foam Roller - Implement of Torture

Postby Dr_Mutley » Fri Feb 22, 2013 3:06 pm

Great to do thoracic extension work over....

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Re: Foam Roller - Implement of Torture

Postby biker jk » Fri Feb 22, 2013 3:54 pm

I use it post ride on my quads, hamstrings,calves and adductors. Works very effectively.

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Re: Foam Roller - Implement of Torture

Postby embee8 » Fri Feb 22, 2013 4:34 pm

Dr_Mutley wrote:Just remember, foam rollers just treat symptoms of tightness, not the cause... If your getting excessive ITB tightness or pain then tune your bike fit/setup to reduce this...

This isn't an anti roller post (I have one myself) but just pointing out prevention is much better than symptomatic treatment...
+1 ... I have physio/pilates sessions fairly regularly (car hit me while riding back in December so need it) and, even when I saw my physio infrequently (for ITB and lower back problems), she suggested I use the foam roller if I feel a bit of tightness. But it is not the cure.

I see it like the time I get some tightness in my neck/shoulders and use my fingers to work on the knot. Doesn't cure anything coz it's probably related to work stress or posture, etc, but good for relieving the initial pain.

[and I do like pain... :twisted: ]
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Re: Foam Roller - Implement of Torture

Postby Baalzamon » Fri Feb 22, 2013 5:56 pm

There are foam rollers and then there are foam rollers
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I'm using that and if you think a foam roller is an implement of torture, sorry it's nothing compared to that. Got mine from physiosupplies
It does hurt a lot on certain areas. But other areas are knot free now, some still need a bit of work and some areas are EEEP can barely stand it but as you know if you don't let it work, it ain't gonna help
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Re: Foam Roller - Implement of Torture

Postby trailgumby » Fri Feb 22, 2013 8:38 pm

That's a foam roller :lol:

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Re: Foam Roller - Implement of Torture

Postby eeksll » Sat Feb 23, 2013 1:08 am

There are different grades of pain (hardness), I'd suggest to avoid the soft ones, you can find other ways of making it hurt less.

Don't just roll, roll to a sore point, then sit/stop on that sore point (I was told 30 secs), doing your best to relax your leg muscles.

My mate uses a bit of pvc pipe ... cheap enough to try atleast.

When the foam roller doesnt hurt so much any more, use a cricket/tennis ball against a wall

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Re: Foam Roller - Implement of Torture

Postby Baalzamon » Sat Feb 23, 2013 1:22 am

Foam roller doesn't break down knots btw, only something like the rumble roller, spiky balls, the grid 2.0 roller can. Rumble roller comes in 2 flavours, blue & black. I've got blue, hate to see what black is like
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Re: Foam Roller - Implement of Torture

Postby toolonglegs » Sat Feb 23, 2013 5:29 am

Break down knots?.
That sounds like good marketing to me.

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Re: Foam Roller - Implement of Torture

Postby Eleri » Sat Feb 23, 2013 6:11 am

toolonglegs wrote:Break down knots?.
That sounds like good marketing to me.
I wasn't convinced ... before a physio used one on a stubborn "knot" in my calf. I get knots for unknown reasons and they take ages to go away. But the foam roller gets them out much more quickly than ever used to happen.

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Re: Foam Roller - Implement of Torture

Postby ft_critical » Sat Feb 23, 2013 9:43 am

Over time, does it get less painful? As in, that is a sign that it is working.

I found this for my calves a bit, but not quads.

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Re: Foam Roller - Implement of Torture

Postby Baalzamon » Sat Feb 23, 2013 10:44 am

Eleri wrote:
toolonglegs wrote:Break down knots?.
That sounds like good marketing to me.
I wasn't convinced ... before a physio used one on a stubborn "knot" in my calf. I get knots for unknown reasons and they take ages to go away. But the foam roller gets them out much more quickly than ever used to happen.
Deep tissue knots, surface knots yep. Foam rollers don't have the ability to get down into the deep knots, just roll over them
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Re: Foam Roller - Implement of Torture

Postby Eleri » Sat Feb 23, 2013 2:12 pm

Baalzamon wrote: Deep tissue knots, surface knots yep. Foam rollers don't have the ability to get down into the deep knots, just roll over them
That might depend on how big you are I suspect. There's not a whole lot of me.

Or maybe I've never had a deep tissue knot. The ones I get in my calves feel like a tennis ball. Is that what you mean?

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Re: Foam Roller - Implement of Torture

Postby Baalzamon » Sat Feb 23, 2013 3:14 pm

I'm regularly going to see a chiro every 6-7 weeks at the moment. He works on my lower back mainly and he uses his elbow and digs right in deep to get out knots right next to the spine. This time around my lower back is much less sore and it's getting better each week thanks to my rumble roller. Well I don't know if a normal foam roller would have done the job but when I first got on that rumble roller onto my back I could barely stand it.
Now I can get on it and just let it do it's job. Next chiro visit will be interesting
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Re: Foam Roller - Implement of Torture

Postby death valley 69 » Sat Feb 23, 2013 4:06 pm

I've had the blue rumble roller for over a year now and reckon it works great. Chiro visits are few and far between. :D Works great on the piriformis, itb and adductors.

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Re: Foam Roller - Implement of Torture

Postby Eleri » Sat Feb 23, 2013 6:31 pm

I agree, it's probably not best for those types of knots Baalzamon. I use a spiky ball for some of those knots in my shoulder and in my glutes. Amazingly effective.

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Re: Foam Roller - Implement of Torture

Postby KonaCommuter » Sun Feb 24, 2013 7:13 am

Baalzamon wrote:I'm regularly going to see a chiro every 6-7 weeks at the moment. He works on my lower back mainly and he uses his elbow and digs right in deep to get out knots right next to the spine. This time around my lower back is much less sore and it's getting better each week thanks to my rumble roller. Well I don't know if a normal foam roller would have done the job but when I first got on that rumble roller onto my back I could barely stand it.
Now I can get on it and just let it do it's job. Next chiro visit will be interesting


Please let us know how it goes
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Re: Foam Roller - Implement of Torture

Postby toolonglegs » Sun Feb 24, 2013 7:34 am

I am no expert at all... But if you get great pleasure from someone massaging your lower spine hard... Isn't that just because the muscles where they join onto the lower spine are so tight that they inflame the nerves.
So while I agree the chiro works great by working on those areas it isn't really treating the cause... Which is tight muscles and mechanical problems.
I might be way off track due to seeing a few chiros and osteos when I had my lower back problem... Yeah the did all the cracking etc but never actually got to the cause of my problem ( or even close )

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Re: Foam Roller - Implement of Torture

Postby Marto » Mon Feb 25, 2013 9:55 pm

Put something on the TV (recorded) or music that takes your mind off the pain you are inflicting on yourself. Go through the motions on your roller with pain, but you are paying less attention to your pain.
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