SURFSHOT MAGAZINE, DECEMBER 2004 Have you ever felt a knot between your shoulder blades that no amount of yoga or stretching will release? Do your lats feel as tight as a piano strings after long surf sessions? Are your calves chronically sore? Then you might find relief with a self-message technique done with a foam roller (cost less than $20 at www.performbetter.com) and your own body weight.
The body's muscles, nerves and blood vessels are encased in a tissue called fascia. Fascia is found throughout the body and, when it is restricted because of injury, inflexibility, or overuse, the muscles will bind and cause pain. This will reduce your range of motion, increase tightness, create soft tissue adhesions and muscle soreness. This then results in an injury cycle of movement compensations, poor movement patterns, and early muscle fatigue.
By using a foam roller before or after a surf session you can alleviate or release these fascial restrictions.
HOW YOU DO IT:
- Maintain each position and roll along the roller for 1-2 minutes at a time.
- When you reach a painful spot, stop the roller and hold the position for 30-40 seconds.
- Be sure to keep your abs braced, keeping good posture and maintain an even breath flow.
These self-release techniques can be done once or twice a day.
HOT SPOTS
- Calves: Place back of calves on roller. Lift hips off floor and roll both sides of calves. Keep feet relaxed. For a more intense massage, cross one leg over the other and apply pressure with top leg.
- Hamstrings: Place the back of your thighs on the roller. Roll from your knees to your hips. Tightening the quadriceps while rolling on the hamstrings will increase the massage.
- Latissimus Dorsi: Place the side of your chest on the roller. With your arm extended over your head. Point thumb up.
- IT Band: Place the outside of your bottom thigh on the roller. Bend top leg and place it on floor for stabilization. Roll from hips to knee. .Quadriceps: Place the fronts of your thighs on the roller. Roll from hips to knees.
- Piriformis: Sit on roller with one foot crossed over the opposite knee.
- Rhomboids. Place your shoulders blades on roller. Fold arm across chest and lift hips off floor for increased pressure.
In health and fitness,
Paul Frediani
www.surfflex.comSend us your surf health question to editor@surfshot.com and Paul will answer them. Selected questions will win a copy of this excellent book!
