Introducing my new top tip series “Foam Roller Fridays”.
From time to time I will be posting videos on how best to use a foam roller for myofascial release. Foam rolling is a form of myofascial release that can be used by oneself.
Fascia
Fascia is a huge continuous system made up of elastin and collagen that covers and interweaves through muscle, bone, nerves and blood vessels. In a healthy state the fascia is a wavy formation of tissue and is pliable. There are various factors that can impact on the state of fascia such as physical trauma caused by accidents, poor posture, repetitive stress, surgery and inflammation. Tightness in fascia can also be dependent emotional stress and wellness too.
Restrictions or tightness in fascia exerts pressure on the system that cause pain and tension related headaches from a wellness perspective and restricted movement and instability from a performance perspective. Myofascial release aims to remove the restrictions in the body’s fascia that are causing dysfunction or pain.
My first video covers the Iliotibial band or the ITB.
This is a commonly tight piece of connective tissue that can cause a variety of knee and hip pain and dysfunction. The ITB originates at the iliac tubercle portion of the iliac crest and inserts to the lateral condyle of the tibia – basically saying it attaches from the pelvis down the outside of the thigh to the outside of the knee. Tightness in the ITB can also restrict certain movement patterns inhibiting performance and increasing risk of injury.
The ITB is often very painful to release and generally has numerous points along the band that create tightness. When foam rolling the ITB people tend to lay directly onto the band. Personally I find that 1) that is extremely painful causing greater tension within the fascia limiting the point of the exercise and 2) with the thigh/quadriceps there are a lot of crossover points where fascia tends to bind creating stiffness. By putting direct pressure onto the ITB I find that it can lead to it sticking to the tissues beneath creating more stiffness.
As shown in the video my techniques apply pressure from below and above the ITB creating a stretch on the tissue and a lifting pull on the band freeing it from the tissues beneath. My technique also allows for easy pressure management so you can hold each trigger point to the right level to allow it to release rather than tighten further.
Try this technique before and after sport/training to maximise your movement potential or if you are suffering from any knee or hip related pain or discomfort try foam rolling your ITB daily to see if that relieves your symptoms.
You can check out further hints and tips from the Massage Therapists and Chiropractors at Lushington Chiropractic by checking out our online chiropractic blog Backblog.
Look out for my next blog in February when I will be covering Latissimus Dorsi commonly known as “the lats”.
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