Something New

I heard a couple of off-hand references to "foam rolling" - at the gym, and from my physiatrist when I saw her a year or so ago for many ailments. She suggested it might help prevent my knees from hurting.  I asked about it at the gym, and we did a quick exercise which was incredibly painful yet oddly relieving.  Based on that sample of one, I bought a foam roll at the sporting good store back in October when I had more time, I googled "foam rolling for knees" and watched a DIY video, and gave it a try.  It was incredibly painful.  I made a mental note to give it another try, and the roller sat under my bed till last week.

Around the holiday season, I heard an interview on Science Friday of the author of The Exercise Cure, who suggests that exercise can cure everything that ails you (actually almost everything that ails you). I'm already a believer, and the only thing new to me was his stressing how foam rolling really helps avoid injury, improves flexibility, and makes you feel better. I've come to understand it as basically doing a deep tissue massage on yourself, using your body weight on the roller for the massage.  I got the book, which includes a specific section on complete foam rolling.

Last Sunday night, after having started jogging on the treadmill and also many chores, I was hurting all over before bedtime. So I gave it a try. It was very painful. Of course, the word is that clearly that means you need it. Apparently, it gets better.  It was awkward doing it on the floor with the book, figuring it out as I went along. Of course, that will certainly get better.

I just did it again, after doing an interval run on the treadmill and stretching, and it made me feel better almost instantly.   But it was very painful while I was doing it. It was less awkward, as I worked my way through the exercises.

Couple of areas where there isn't consensus - should you do your lower back? Does it do any good for knees?

But based on how it makes me feel immediately, I'm going to try to do this a couple of times a week.  The book I have stresses to do this as a supplement to aerobic exercise, strength training, and stretching.  If only all I had to do was work out and keep myself in shape.