I repeatedly mention that I use rollers to help release tightness in my neck, back, legs, arms, hips, and glutes. Now with muscular dystrophy, you have to pay more attention to the type of roller that you can buy. Rollers function the same way that massages do. You cannot have an incredibly tough massage because it will result in a breakdown of your muscle that you cannot entirely repair. I would not use this as a reason to disregard rollers because they can be extremely beneficial if used correctly. To anyone starting using a roller, start with a smooth foam roller to ease into the exercise.
With the smooth roller, spend about 30 seconds on your back (lower and upper back), shoulders, arms, hips, glutes, quads, side hamstrings, hamstring, and calf muscle. It may seem not easy at first, so keep trying until you can use the roller for at least 30 seconds. This is the exact routine that I use “20-minute Foam Roller Routine.” You do not need to perform the stretches for the same amount of time that she holds them. As long as you are rolling out, it will help your body, so make sure you are doing it before reaching a point of pain or exhaustion in your muscles. Make sure to avoid joints (for example, do not roll out your knee, armpit, elbow area, and so on).
Once you feel you want to step up your foam roller to the next level, I use two types of foam rollers. I use the TriggerPoint Grid Foam Roller and Teeter Massage Foam Roller. I use the Teeter foam roller to roll out my calves and shins while using the TriggerPoint foam roller for everything else. The Teeter foam roller has little smooth bumps on it, which allows it to dig deeper into my calves and shins tighter because they are tighter than other parts of my body. Avoid buying rollers with sharp bumps/tips in them as they break down the muscle tissues to a point where it starts to damage your muscles. The ones that I give you have shown to be safe for the last few years, so I recommend anyone to use them for the rest of their lives.
After giving you a routine to complete and explaining what time of foam roller you should buy, I want to describe the numerous benefits of rolling your body out. When I started personal training a few years ago, my trainer made sure that we spent the last ten minutes rolling our bodies out. Over time the several knots and tight areas I had in my body began to disappear as I rolled my body out almost every day. It was easier to walk, have a fantastic posture, more comfortable to release the tightness in the form of stretching, and significantly improved every aspect of my day. Anyone you ask will explain that it increases their flexibility, enabling them to perform far more physical activities and prevent cramping by rolling out before and after any physical activity.
I need to stress that there will be some discomfort from rolling out, but that is okay. What is not okay is if it becomes too painful to handle. If it ever reaches that point, stop immediately and roll out softer and reduce the amount of time you are rolling out until you no longer feel that pain. Once you master the technique of rolling out, your life will dramatically change. You will have more flexibility and can assist in loosening/recovering your muscles before and after any workout. My life has changed substantially due to using a roller, so I encourage you to satisfy your body for the same benefits.
