Raise your hand if you have a foam roller gathering dust under your bed or in your closet. Well, what’s it doing there?! Your muscles called, and they’re begging you to use it.
This is a tool you should be incorporating into nearly every workout, says Sarah Kostyukovsky, a physical therapist at Physio Logic in New York City. “Foam rolling has been shown to improve range of motion, decrease neuromuscular exhaustion, and decrease post-exercise soreness,” she says. In fact, foam rolling after a workout significantly decreases soreness up to 72 hours later, according to research published in The Journal of Athletic Training.
But it’s not just beneficial post-exercise, says Kostyukovsky. “Foam rolling before a workout can improve your mobility without negatively affecting performance,” she says. Plus, foam rolling before or after a workout can help decrease muscle fatigue and improve your performance. (You can also roll on recovery days to help soothe your muscles.) [Full Article]