Whether you’ve been injured in a car accident or are suffering from pain and discomfort after slouching daily in front of your desk, a foam roller may just be the perfect tool to help provide you with pain relief.
Despite being invented in the 1920s, we haven’t heard much hype about the foam roller until recently. Why? Perhaps, because it does cause mild pain and discomfort to use it. What does it do? A foam roller provides a means of massaging your back muscles, forcing you to stretch them in ways that are overall beneficial for you despite potentially feeling a little rough when you use the roller initially.
We spoke with Dr. Holly Stephens from Integrated Medical Center in Chino, California, one of our doctors who works on a lien basis, about using foam rollers. Dr. Holly says that Integrated Medical Center is a chiropractic office that focuses on overall wellness, whether that be recovering from a car accident or just coming in for preventive care. She recommends foam rollers for most of her patients.
Dr. Holly explained that foam rollers are simple and easy to come by. The most beneficial area to use the foam roller on, in her experience, is the middle back area. This area can regularly use a good stretch, as it usually holds a lot of tension, whether it be from people working on a computer and sulking in that area too much or from a car accident injury.
The benefits of using a foam roller on your back include releasing and helping to remove muscle knots, decreasing inflammation, improving your comfort level, and increasing your range of motion and overall mobility. Foam rollers can also help with your circulation.
To use, watch Dr. Holly’s Instagram video and follow along with her.
Always support your neck as you are using the roller. Lower yourself onto the foam roller slowly. Then, one you are supported by it, lift up your hips. Move back and forth by bending and straightening your knees. Dr. Holly describes the feeling as a “hurts so good” type of discomfort.
By using a foam roller regularly, you can get the benefits of stretching and help to counteract that slump forward we all seem to get as we move through life. Of course, never stretch or use if you are experiencing any type of sharp pain, and always talk with your doctor first about the best plan for you and your unique situation.
And if you’ve been injured in a car accident, be sure to speak with one of our doctors who work on a lien basis.
