Remember that song:
Well your entire body is like this, everything is connected. the tighter your hamstrings, the tighter your glutes, the tighter you low back and so on and so on up the chain. As you foam roll (and then hopefully take it a step further to stretching… perhaps some yoga and activity) everything will loosen up!
And yes you can foam roll your upper back and the front of your shoulders as well
Foam rollers offer many of the same benefits as a sports massage without the big price tag.
The foam roller not only stretches muscles and tendons but it also breaks down soft tissue addhesions and scar tissue. By using your own body weight and a cylindrical foam roller you can perform a self-massage or myofascial release, break up trigger points, and soothe tight fascia while increasing blood flow and circulation to the soft tissues.
How It Works
The superficial fascia is a soft connective tissue located just below the skin. It wraps and connects the muscles, bones, nerves and blood vessels of the body. Together, muscle and fascia make up what is called the myofascia system. For various reasons including disuse, not enough stretching, or injuries, the fascia and the underlying muscle tissue can become stuck together. This is called an adhesion and it results in restricted muscle movement. It also causes pain, soreness and reduced flexibility and range of motion.
Myofascial release is a body work technique in which a practitioner uses gentle, sustained pressure on the soft tissues while applying traction to the fascia. This technique results in softening and lengthening (release) of the fascia and breaking down scar tissue or adhesions between skin, muscles and bones.
Myofascial release has also been shown to relieve various muscle and joint pains such as IT band syndrome and shin splints as well as improving flexibility and range of motion.
Foam rollers are inexpensive and with a bit of experimentation you can target just about any muscle group.
There is no universal agreement on when to roll, how often to roll, or how long to roll, but generally, techniques are used both before and after a workout. Foam rolling prior to a workout can help decrease muscle density and promote a better warmup. Rolling after a workout may help muscles recover from strenuous exercise.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lLw81kGeXg&feature=player_embedded
. A small red foam roller can be purchased from Target for $25 and it comes with a DVD also.
