Ask the experts: Tiger Therapy - foam rolling (Pt 3)

Ask the experts: Tiger Therapy -  Foam rolling (Pt 3)

Marina Kyraciou, sports massage therapist at Tiger Therapy has given us some advice on how to stay niggle-free throughout the 100 days of running challenge.

For the final part of her advice, she is giving us her tips for foam rolling.

Foam rolling

Marina recommends the 'peanut'
foam roller

Foam rolling is another really useful way to boost recovery after training by removing post work out toxins and boosting circulation but also a great way to maintain suppleness of the muscles. There are as million different toys on the market for this activity.

Invest in a good foam roller and a soft spiky massage ball. They are the only two tools I would suggest you need to get going. My favourite foam roller is called a ‘peanut’, but any good quality foam roller will do. Get in touch if you want the details on where you can buy a peanut.

Remember…. try to not create a blunt force trauma. With these tools you can bruise/damage soft tissue and that's actually the opposite of what we want to achieve. The key is to roll, to knead and to move these tools around gently against the soft tissues. If you have knots that feel like golf balls in your body, then go and see a therapist!

My Instagram page has some videos that demonstrate and explain best practice for foam rolling in more detail - @tiger_massage

How often should you foam roll? If you are using the tools carefully you could foam roll after every training session.

How long you should do it for? No hard and fast rule, general guidelines suggest 1-2 minutes or until you feel a release but don't spend longer than 5 minutes MAX on each body part.  Sometimes it’s quite therapeutic to spend a bit of extra time on your rest day paying particular attention to what you need, spend some time in a quiet space stretching and foam rolling.

Most of all…. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY! It is yours after all and you know it best.

Much love and a Big Tiger Hug!       

Marina is an experienced therapist who tailors massage and treatment plans (either over single or multiple sessions) to each client’s specific requirements.  She routinely manages sports and chronic injuries for clients, and enjoys adapting each session to their needs on the day. She is based in North London and contactable here.

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