What is a Foam Roller?

A foam roller is a piece of cylindrical-shaped exercise equipment that aid in balancing, positioning, stretching, and strengthening activities. They are made from high-density durable foam. These devices help optimize physical therapy for both upper body and lower body parts because they can benefit the affected muscles.

What do Foam Rollers do?

A foam roller has a variety of uses. They are basically used for muscle massaging to help bring back flexibility and increase your range of motion. They also help in postural and muscle re-education, spinal stabilization, body awareness, and coordination activities. The firmness can range from soft to firm. The color often identifies the firmness, white being the softest and black being the hardest. Red and blue tend to be of medium density. Beginners should start with a soft roller.

Moreover, they also come in many different lengths and sizes. Interestingly, each size has a different purpose and use. The larger sizes are meant for back pain relief, while the shorter ones are for legs and arms. Half-round rollers are often used for ankle stretching and knee rehabilitation.

HPFY carries an extensive range of foam rollers and bolsters that are perfect tools for fitness, physical therapy, and rehabilitation of your lower and upper body parts. They are available in various colors, sizes, and shapes to meet all kinds of requirements. These foam rolls and bolsters are lightweight, portable, and easy to clean and come to you at amazing prices.

How do Foam Rollers help in Balance Training?

Maintaining balance and stability can help us grow old with grace, stay agile, and prevent falls. Balance training can help us maintain optimal alignment and balanced musculature. Physical therapists often prescribe exercises to be performed on unstable surfaces to improve balance and strength. Foam rollers can be incorporated into such exercise programs. Performing exercises standing on a foam roller helps to improve overall balance and core strength. In addition to the main muscles, the deep muscles in the back and abdomen region are also targeted in these exercises to maintain balance. If you find difficulty using a regular foam roller, begin with a half-round foam roller which provides more stability. Half-Round Lightweight Portable Foam Rolls are great for that purpose.

What are the benefits of foam rolling?

Foam rolling is referred to as a self-myofascial release technique that produces massage-like effects. Foam rolling helps relieve muscle soreness, tightness, and inflammation and increases your joint range of motion. Subsequently, the foam roller is regarded as valuable equipment in an exercise or rehabilitation program. Foam rollers are used for many different purposes and can have positive effects on many various ailments. Foam rollers are economical, easy to use, and are therefore well accepted by patients.

To produce massage effects, one needs to lie on the foam roll with the affected muscles on top of the roll. By slowly rolling over the area of the affected body part, you are essentially massaging the muscle. When you position yourself properly and move on the foam roll in this way, you can reach very deep muscle tissues. You squeeze the muscles by rolling over the trigger points with your body weight, and the local muscle fibers get stretched. This stretch provides relaxation to the muscles. Regularly massaging out these trigger points will help in restoring the optimal balance in your muscles. The benefits of foam rolling may include:

Ease muscle pain

Foam rolling can be beneficial for reducing inflammation and easing muscle pain. After an intense workout, one thing that is commonly experienced is muscle soreness. The self-myofascial release can treat this muscle dysfunction by applying direct pressure on the affected area.

Increase range of motion

Foam rollers can help increase range of motion when used properly and consistently. Studies have shown that foam rolling combined with static stretching could increase range of motion more than stretching alone. Range of motion is vital for flexibility and performance, and foam rolling and stretching will provide the best results after each workout.

Improves posture

Slouching is natural when one spends a good chunk of time front of a desk or a steering wheel. Sitting for extended periods can cause muscles to tighten, and foam rolling can help loosen them and boost blood circulation. Foam rolling on your spine is a great way to straighten out rounded shoulders.

Reduces injury and speeds up recovery

Foam rolling can be useful in preventing sports-related muscle injuries. Foam rolling puts pressure on the tissues and releases trigger points which in turn reduces pain. This is ideal for runners, who often suffer from shin splints and other problems caused by tight fascia. Find out your most problematic areas and target them with some foam rolling exercises.

Reduce cellulitis

Foam rolling may help loosen and break up your fascia and smooth out your skin temporarily, which may reduce the appearance of cellulitis.

Improves circulation

The deep massage with a foam roller can result in a localized increase in blood flow that will help to flush excess toxins and metabolites from the area.

Best Foam Rollers on HPFY

CanDo Round White PE Foam Rollers are perfect for balance, positioning, postural and muscle re-education, spinal stabilization, body awareness, and coordination.
Body Sport Thera-Roll is designed to penetrate and release tense muscle fibers to decrease pain and stiffness.
OPTP Franklin Mini Roll is a peanut-shaped roll that comfortably supports the spine, legs, and shoulders while performing the Franklin Method exercises.
Oakworks Full Round Fluffy Bolster help to achieve optimal positioning during therapy sessions.

Where to buy foam rollers online?

We at Health Products For You offer a wide assortment of foam rollers and bolsters that aids in the self-myofascial release from top manufacturers like OPTP, Fabrication Enterprises, AGM Group, Core Products, and many more. Shop with us and be active, pain-free, and healthy, and do things you love to do!