Next up in ActiveCare Physical Therapy‘s series of Common Exercises to Help Muscle Pain, we will discuss the best ways to use a foam roller to help target key areas of the body. Keep reading for instructions on how to make the most of a foam roller to help stretch your muscles:

FOAM ROLLER STRETCHES TO HELP PAIN

Thoracic spine (middle back):

Support your head and neck by clasping your hands behind your head.  Foam roller should lay perpendicular to the spine. Starting at the lower thoracic spine, the bottom of the ribs, lean back on the foam roller and roll your body on the foam roller so that the roller moves up toward your head and down toward the bottom of the ribs.

Pec major stretch:

Lie on the foam roller with it parallel to your spine with your head and tailbone supported, knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Bring your arms out to the side at shoulder height, palms facing the ceiling.  Let your arms relax back to the floor.  Feel the stretch in the front of the chest.

Pec minor stretch:

Same position as above.  Bring your arms up overhead and out to the side with the arms above shoulder height, palms facing the ceiling.  Let the arms relax back to the floor.  Feel the stretch in the front of the chest, but more on a vertical line along the side of the chest.

Glute Release:

Sit on the foam roller with both legs stretched in front of you. Bend the L knee and place the foot flat on the floor.  Rotate your body slightly to the right and start moving your body with your left foot and R hand so that the foam roller moves up and down on your buttock.  Keep rotating to the right to get more of the muscle belly on the R glute.  To get the side of the glute, cross the Left leg over the right so that you are completely lying on your side with both arms in front of you.

Iliotibial Band Release:

Lie on your R side on the foam roller. Start with the foam roller at the top of your thigh and walk your body up toward your head so that the foam roller moves down toward the outside of your knee.  Left leg is placed on the floor in front of the right leg, or is stacked on the top of the right leg. Both hands are in front of the body and placed on the floor to help move your body up and down on the foam roller.

To learn more about how to use a foam roller to help treat common injuries, give us a call today at 212-777-4374 or visit www.activecarephysicaltherapy.com.