Self myofascial release and self massage: Why, how, when?
- Nov 18, 2014
- 4 min read
What is self myofascial release (SMR)
Self myofascial release is an increasingly popular form of self-massage used to reduce soft-tissue stiffness, aid post-workout recovery and maintain normal muscular function and movement. Most gyms now are equipped with foam rollers but many people do not know when or how to use them effectively. and in order to get the most out of these techniques it is important to understand how to perform them properly and the most appropriate time and area to use them on.
To understand SMR an understanding of fascia is necessary. Put simply, fascia is connective tissue linking muscles and groups of muscles, together. It surrounds and penetrates every muscle in the body. Fascia also contains proprioceptors and muscle cells giving it the ability to contract and relax in response to information about positional change and stretch from proprioceptors in a similar way to muscles. The dynamic nature of fascia also makes it susceptible to deformation. Fascial tissue that is repeatedly exposed to excessive strain may become dense, knotted or stuck together (called adhesions). These adhesions can cause your muscles to lose complete range of movement, and can lose independent movement as they pull surrounding muscles with them as they move. Adhesions often develop around the site of previous injury and in areas of high mechanical stress like the upper back, glutes, and calves. The aim of SMR is to release the ‘tight’ areas and break down the adhesions returning the muscles to their full function.
Equipment
foam roller and lacrosse ball (tennis ball may work for some techniques). Many other ‘sticks’ and small ‘pedirollers’ are also available. Foam rollers are available in a variety of densities and surfaces. In my experience the harder, more dense ones are more effective but if you are new to SMR or have very tight areas then starting with a softer one may be necessary.
How?
Most SMR techniques are simple to learn. If you are using a foam roller you just use your body weight to sandwich the roller between the soft tissue to be released and the floor. Roll at a slow pace concentrating on any especially tender areas. Once the pain in these areas reduces, roll the other areas. To increase the pressure on the soft tissue, simply apply more of your body weight to the roller. The simplest way to do this is by either moving from working both legs at once to one leg. Once you get the hang of it you should be bearing down on the roller with most (if not all) of your body weight. There's plenty of room for experimentation, so you'll probably want to play around with the roller to see what works best for you. The pain should be a ‘good’ type of pain/discomfort, aiming for 6-8 out of 10 on a pain scale, avoiding bony prominences.
Where?
SMR can be performed on almost any area of the body. Work on any areas that often feel ‘tight’ or uncomfortable after training or that a physio or healthcare professional has suggested, or use a logical approach and work on the muscle groups that you are training or using predominantly during your workout/ training. So for example runners may benefit from glue med, calf and perhaps piriformis or hip flexor self release. See videos below for specific technique in these areas. If you are using a foam roller then position the roller under the area and slowly move the roller across the whole area, specifically concentrating on any tight or painful areas, working for longer on them.
SMR of hamstring using a foam roller
SMR of hip flexors using a foam roller
When?
SMR should be performed regularly. There is much debate about whether it should be performed before or after training but either before a training session as part of the warm up or after training as part of the cool down is likely to be beneficial. If you are training hard, devoting specific time into your training plan for a specific SMR session (maybe incorporating some mobility/flexibility exercises) may be beneficial. The key is to do it regularly and properly, devoting time to the ‘problem’ areas or areas you are working hard. A quick 30 second token foam roller of every single body parts before a training session is unlikely to be beneficial, but regular targeted and specific SMR and mobility sessions or targeting the muscles to be used before or after a workout are far more likely to help.
The science
Whilst there is still work to be done with further studies and there is little evidence about whether SMR techniques reduce the risk of injuries, there is evidence that it is beneficial when performed either before or after a workout.
A study published this year in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise suggested foam rolling after a squat workout reduced delayed onset muscle soreness 1, 2, and 3 days after as well as better performance in a vertical leap test compared to those who didn’t foam roll. Another study
showed that using a foam roller before a workout increased range of motion without decreasing muscle activation or force (unlike static stretching).
Self release of gluteus medius and minimus
Self release of piriformis
Self massage of calf muscles
**Note** Contrary to popular belief, the ITB is not a muscle, it is an extremely strong, thickened type of fascia. It does not contain stretch receptors and does not contract or behave like muscle, therefore it is not appropriate or useful to foam roller the IT band in an attempt to ‘release’ the ITB and cure ITB pain at the knee. Instead emphasis should be put on appropriate strengthening, gait analysis and reducation. SMR of the muscles around the hip (SMR of glute medius etc) may also be useful (see above video of gluteus medius and minimus release)
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