Foam Rollers Begin Physiotherapy at Home

Exercise prescription is a critical part of any physical/physiotherapy program. When heavy exercise equipment may be too much to handle for a patient recovering strength/muscle tone or are simply not available, foam rollers become an extremely valuable piece of the instrument in exercise and rehabilitation programs. This simplistic yet highly useful equipment can be used for a wide range of different purposes and training exercises and they can have many different positive effects on the body. Foam rollers are used to aid in rehabilitation for different physical ailments as well as to improve an athlete's performance. They are inexpensive, flexible, easy to use, and ever reliable tools that you can use even at home.

Studies have shown that foam rollers have the ability to decrease delayed onset soreness of the muscles following intense exercises, improve the user's range of movement, enable continued participation with higher-level exercises and activities, improve blood flow, and reduce peripheral artery stiffness. All of these sounds like extremely great reasons to get on the foam roller bandwagon, but exactly what can you do with this promising piece of gym equipment? Here are useful suggestions:

• A smaller, firmer roll will help you generate more pressure on your tight muscle spots as you work them out.
  
• After exercise, you can use your foam roller to wind down and cool off with some light routines.
  
• Small kneading movements along the length of your target muscle enable you to self-massage and target tight muscle areas that may need extra work.
  
• Ask your physiotherapist for proper demonstrations of stretches and exercises to ensure that you are going to use the foam roller properly the first time it is prescribed. This will also help prevent further injury from an incorrect use of the device.
  
• Foam rolling can sometimes be uncomfortable, particularly around sore, tight muscles. It is crucial that you know the difference between a good hurt and a bad one, which could indicate an injury. Any weird discomfort you experience should be brought to the attention of your physiotherapist.