Running is tough on your body. With every step, you’re subjecting your body’s soft tissues to a crazy amount of force (over and over…and over), which can cause microtears in your muscles that lead to lingering aches and pains if you don’t recover properly.
It’s no wonder so many coaches, trainers, physiologists, and physical therapists say foam rolling should be an integral part of your running regimen. Foam rolling can help you loosen up pre-workout, decrease pain and recover faster after a run, and generally keep your muscles more mobile so you can get the most out of every mile.
Weirdly enough, the science hasn’t quite caught up to the popularity of the practice. Most studies on foam rolling have been small, and haven’t determined exactly how effective foam rolling can be. But a 2020 review of the scientific literature determined that foam rolling may reduce muscle stiffness and increase range of motion before training, and can reduce delayed onset muscle soreness and potentially optimize recovery from training. Win-win, right?
As researchers try to catch up with runners, foam rolling remains one of…
