Foam Rollers for working out muscle kinks

[soocool]

Well, I did it again. My right IT band is tight again causing much pain when I walk. I have been doing my stretches after warming up, now a couple of times each day and my muscles have loosened up (I attribute the tight muscles to age and that it takes longer for me to loosen up). I heard good things about foam rollers to help me stretch my muscles. I this one yesterday. http://www.performbetter.com/detail.aspx_Q_ID_E_4918_A_CategoryID_E_235

Has anyone used one to massage their muscles, especially their IT band? How quickly does it work?

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

I haven't used them for therapeutic purposes but I've used them to stretch with before working out. They're awesome! My gym had them so I'm not sure where you'd buy them but I really can't say enough good things about them. Some areas will be a little more tender than others, I remember my outer thigh/hip and sacral areas being a bit painful when I used it, but it was heaven on my mid-to-upper back and calves.

 

[soocool]

I haven't used them for therapeutic purposes but I've used them to stretch with before working out. They're awesome! My gym had them so I'm not sure where you'd buy them but I really can't say enough good things about them. Some areas will be a little more tender than others, I remember my outer thigh/hip and sacral areas being a bit painful when I used it, but it was heaven on my mid-to-upper back and calves.

Got my foam roller last week and HH, you are right, it is awesome. When I first used it my entire back cracked and it was only painful when I used it on my right hip and IT band (the area which really needs it). The pain has lessened over the past week and I have no pain when I walk or slog jog now. I got my DH to use it on his lower back and hips and he has slept better the last 2 nights (no stiff back upon awakening)

 

[marcy]

I hope you get better. We have a friend who is a physical therapist and he told us to use a tennis ball in a long sock. You put the tennis ball between the sore spot and the wall and push on it rolling it up and down on the sore spot. It seems to really help. I was thinking of hunting it up just a few minutes ago.

 

[PierreBear]

Sorry to hear that you have an IT band issue! My husband and I have been doing triathlons for about 4 years so I am well familiar with running injuries. Yes, I highly recommend a foam roller and don't use it as much as I should. I would recommend you tubing how to roll out your IT band.

However, I really want to share the best way to prevent IT band injuries. I'm not a physical therapist but having gone through seasons for issues, the best way to prevent this injury is to strengthen your glute muscles. I've tried just using the foam roller and trying different shoes and even with my cross training of swimming and cycling, I would be periodically hurt with that terrible side knee pain. Doing your clam exercises, resistant band workouts, and Jane Fonda exercises are key! My husband and I do it on a daily basis now... so even if you rid yourself of the IT band issues, which I know you can by doing the exercises, you need to keep doing it when it doesn't hurt! I really hope you get better soon!