A Beginner’s Guide to Foam Rolling: Everything You Need to Know
Foam rolling has become so popular lately – and it’s for good reason. It’s an amazing way to relax the body, relieve pain, and gain awareness of certain areas of the body as you move in your workouts and daily life.
In this post, we’ll discuss what foam rolling is, what we know about how it works, the benefits of foam rolling, the types of foam rollers available on the market, and how to foam roll. This is all things foam rolling for the beginner foam roller. Let’s dig in!
This post may contain affiliate links which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through that link. But I only share products and services I love and use myself — and think you’ll love too!
What is foam rolling?
A foam roller is a lightweight cylinder made of compacted foam. People use foam rollers to release tension and increase mobility by rolling the cylinders across parts of their bodies usually before or after exercise. Many liken it to giving yourself a deep tissue massage!
How does foam rolling work?
The mechanism or “how” of foam rolling is still an under-researched area. But we do have a few really great evidence-based theories:
Communicate with mechanoreceptors
Firstly, foam rolling releases tension and improves range of motion through its effects on the nervous system.
That is, foam rolling stimulates pain receptors within your fascia (the connective tissue surrounding every muscle, bone, nerve, tendon, blood vessel, and organ in your body) and scientists suspect stimulating these receptors sends messages to your brain to relax the muscles in that area (Behm & Wilke 2019).
As I like to say, foam rolling is like talking to your nervous system and telling it to calm down.
Relax muscle fibers in spasm
There may also be a muscle-related component to the relief people feel from foam rolling. Pain is a poorly understood phenomenon, but scientists think muscle pain may be caused by tiny spasms within the muscle. And applying pressure through massage (self- or otherwise) allows the muscle fibers to stretch and relax.
“Pain inhibits pain”
There is also a phenomenon known as diffuse noxious inhibitory control (DNIC) that could play a role in how foam rolling reduces pain. You know how you might rub your toe after you stub it to reduce the pain? DNIC is the concept that “pain inhibits pain”. The slight pain you feel when foam rolling inhibits the pain you may be experiencing otherwise.
Body awareness
Another way foam rolling can help is through something called proprioception. This is your awareness of where your body is and how it moves through space. For example, even if you closed your eyes, you would still know where your hand is in relation to your face. Foam rolling brings more awareness to the body part you’re rolling out, which can improve your force production or range of motion in a workout.
Debunking a common myth: Is foam rolling self-myofascial release?
If you Google foam rolling, you’ll come across a lot of articles calling it self-myofascial release. However, there is no evidence foam rolling alters the structures of your tissue in a long-term way. Let me explain:
Connective tissue called fascia surrounds all of your muscles and organs inside your body. It is sometimes called “the body’s glue”, as it forms a continuous system throughout your body and connects all of your body parts together to make a cohesive unit.
(Have you ever seen the white film between the chicken skin and chicken meat? That’s fascia connecting the skin to the muscle.)
Fascia may stiffen in response to overuse, underuse, or trauma like an injury. However, the evidence does not support that foam rolling “breaks up” adhesions or scar tissue in the fascia. The release you get from foam rolling isn’t a mechanical disruption or tearing apart of adhesions but rather comes from the exchange of information with the brain
All in all, your tissues do not change in the long-term as a result of pressure from a foam roller. But foam rolling does reduce pain and tension through its effects on the nervous system and muscles themselves.
Types of foam rollers
There are so many different types of foam rollers to choose from. It can be super overwhelming trying to choose the right one for you. Overall, foam rollers can be categorized by their density, length, diameter, material, surface texture, and other features.
Density
Foam rollers can have different densities and are generally color-coded by their firmness:
- Soft (white) – Soft foam rollers are best for more painful trigger points or people new to foam rolling.
- Medium (colors like red, blue, or green) – Medium density foam rollers have enough give to not be too intense on your muscles while also providing enough resistance for a good massage. These also make great props for yoga and pilates practices.
- Firm (black) – These foam rollers have a “hard” or very firm density. They are great for athletes or those with extremely tense muscles craving a deeper release.
The color-coding can differ by brand so it’s best to either assess the density by squeezing the roller yourself or check the label. Harder (denser) foam rollers have greater longevity but if you’re just getting started, a soft foam roller will help your muscles get used to the feeling.
Length
Foam rollers typically range from 12-36 inches long.
The standard foam roller is 36 inches long with a 6-inch diameter. This length is good for beginners because it’s long enough to go down the whole back and is more stable than shorter rollers. Thirty-six-inch rollers are great for massaging bigger parts of the body like the back, quads, and hamstrings.
You can also opt for a shorter foam roller, which will be better for targeting smaller or more specific muscles. Twenty-four-inch rollers are great for arms and calves for example. Four- to twelve-inch rollers are portable or great if you need to store your foam roller in a tight space.
Diameter
Most foam rollers are 6 inches in diameter. There are foam rollers with a diameter smaller than 6 inches – these are best for people who struggle with balance, as they allow you to be closer to the floor and feel more stable.
Material
Polyethylene (PE) foam rollers are usually the softest and least durable. If you choose this material, make sure the roller is all a single piece (as opposed to having an inner core and outer part fused together) because these last longer. The two-piece construction rollers may distort and separate over time.
Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) foam rollers are the next step up in quality and density. There is also high-density EVA which is firmer than regular EVA rollers.
Finally, Expanded Polypropylene (EPP) foam is the densest and most durable material for foam rollers. EPP looks like little foam beads fused together. They are used in professional settings like by physical therapists, gyms, and personal trainers.
EVA rollers with a PVC core are some of the firmest rollers on the market. They can offer a very deep tissue massage.
Surface
Some foam rollers go beyond the typical cylindrical shape and feature ridges, knobs, or cutouts. These foam rollers help you target specific areas like the muscle groups around the spine for example and give a deeper massage than foam rollers with a smooth surface.
Other shapes and features
You can find foam rollers in other shapes besides the typical cylinder. There are cylinders cut in half, foam roller sticks, and round foam balls for muscle rolling.
If you just have small areas you want to roll out, you can even just use a regular old tennis ball. These are great for trigger points in the back or hips, or even the arch of the foot.
Some foam rollers have fancy features like vibration or heating/cooling. Vibration and heat relax tight muscles (think: vibrating massage chair), while cooling can reduce inflammation. Of course, you will reap the benefits of foam rolling without these extra features as well!
Foam rolling benefits
The [scientific] jury is still out on many of the benefits of foam rolling. There aren’t a lot of large-scale, quality studies on the matter.
But studies support evidence that foam rolling…
- Increases range of motion (Skinner, Moss, & Hammond 2020; Wilke et. al 2019).
- Decreases recovery time after exercise (Skinner, Moss, & Hammond 2020; Wiewelhove et. al 2019)
- Reduces delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) (Cheatham, Kolber, Cain, Lee 2015; Pearcey et. al 2015)
- Increases blood flow (Hotfiel et. al 2017)
- Increases flexibility (Capobianco, Mazzo, & Enoka 2019)
- Increases force production (Capobianco, Mazzo, & Enoka 2019; Capobianco, Almuklass, & Enoka 2018)
So far studies have only shown acute benefits — meaning you’ll receive the above-mentioned benefits up to 30-90 minutes after foam rolling. But even so, these benefits can have meaningful long-term effects for you if you stick to a foam rolling routine.
An acute (short-term) increase in mobility means you will have better form and exercise with more ease after you’ve foam rolled. Reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) also means your next workout will be better quality.
(BY THE WAY, if you’re looking to increase your mobility, you can join my 7-day FREE Create Your Flow mobility challenge!)
Improved blood flow helps maintain healthy organs and tissues through the exchange of oxygen and nutrients and the removal of waste products. It also helps with lymphatic drainage, which plays a role in your immune system.
Can foam rolling be harmful?
Experts agree that foam rolling is a pretty safe activity and does not harm athletic performance (Skinner, Moss, & Hammond 2020).
Should foam rolling be painful??
A lot of people say foam rolling “hurts so good” — it’s that kind of good pain where you feel better and not worse afterward.
It’s true you may feel some discomfort and even a bit of pain while foam rolling. But remember if foam rolling makes your symptoms worse, listen to your body and back off. Everyone is different and every body is different. There’s no universal foam rolling routine for everyone.
A good rule of thumb is any pain you experience while rolling should dissipate once you stop. You should not have any lasting pain from foam rolling.
Tips to make sure you aren’t doing more harm than good while foam rolling:
- Only roll for 30-90 seconds at a time over the same area: You don’t want to overdo it and roll for too long over and over on the same muscle. This can cause bruising and pain.
- Focus on foam rolling muscles only, not ligaments or joints: You want to be careful not to foam roll parts of your body that don’t need “releasing”.
- As Harvard Medical School says (and I agree!), you shouldn’t foam roll if you have “open wounds, fractures, flare-ups of rheumatoid arthritis, deep-vein thrombosis, advanced osteoporosis, or neuropathy that causes pain”.
The best foam roller
I’ve been using the IntelliRoller (promo code DOCJEN) for 4 years. I love that it has space for the spine so you aren’t compressing the spine as you roll and stretch. It has a curved surface, which maximizes the surface area you can reach with the roller. It’s great for your quads or neck or any curved body part for example.
I also love and use the Tune Up Fitness Ball. It has some give so it works with your body rather than against your body. (I much prefer this to something like a lacrosse ball.)
Foam rolling basics
You want to sit or lay on the foam roller on your mat and slowly roll each muscle over the roller, letting gravity do the work of applying pressure. When you hit a trigger point, roll back over it for 30-90 seconds while breathing deeply to relax the muscles. You can do 2-5 sets of this 3x a week.
Don’t forget to breathe while foam rolling! It’s so important to breathe slowly and deeply to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system while you foam roll. Attention and awareness is important while foam rolling. This helps your muscles relax.
Finally, I recommend moving and stretching your muscles after foam rolling. This enhances the effects of the release.
There is no universal best time to foam roll. Some people like to do it when they wake up, before a workout, after a workout, before heading to bed…It’s up to you! My favorite time is to foam roll after a workout to downregulate and relax.
Foam rolling exercises
As a Doctor of Physical Therapy, I have a ton of experience helping my patients foam roll with proper technique so they can relieve pain and find more mobility. Mobility is such a big part of everything I do, I even created The Mobility Method and Optimal Body Membership programs to help more people outside my one-on-one work.
If you would like to practice some foam rolling exercises for different body parts, I’ve made a ton of videos about foam rolling, and have linked them below. Grab a foam roller and follow along!
Foam rolling the back
Proper foam rolling technique for SI and low back pain
Proper foam rolling technique for back pain
Release back pain by foam rolling your quads
Foam rolling for knee pain
How to properly foam roll your IT band for knee pain
Foam rolling for headaches
How to relieve headaches with a foam roller
Foam roller for neck pain
Best foam rolling techniques for neck pain
Foam roller exercises for shoulders
Shoulder pain relief: At home foam rolling exercises
In conclusion…
Foam rolling is a great way to incorporate relaxation and tension release into your routine. We still have a lot to learn about the science behind foam rolling and its benefits, but what we know for sure is it has offered so many people real relief from pain as well as improved mobility.
There are a ton of different types of foam rollers out there – you are bound to find the right one for you and your budget (even if it’s just a tennis ball!).
If you have any questions, follow and write to me on Instagram @docjenfit. You can also tune in to The Optimal Body Podcast on your preferred podcasting platform.
