Run Pain-Free, Easier, and Faster: The Ultimate Guide to Foam Rolling for Runners

General Guide To Foam Rolling For Runners

When you foam roll, it can be somewhat painful. The recommended method is to find your tender spots and hold some pressure for 30 seconds of maximal pain tolerance, or 90 seconds of minimal pain tolerance.

Foam Rolling For Runners: Calves

When these muscles are short and tight, they restrict your range of motion at the ankle joint. This interferes with your ability to safely absorb ground impact forces when running.

These forces range from 3 to 5 times your bodyweight with each step. Ideally you will absorb those forces over a longer distance rather than a shorter distance.

If you lack range of motion at the ankle, it can cause your foot to over-pronate, leading to your knee caving in, and the hip joint adducting and internally rotating with each step you take while running. This can be a factor in the development of all kinds of running-related injuries including plantar fasciopathy (former known as plantar fasciitis), patellofemoral knee pain, IT band issues to name a few.

To test your ankle range of motion there are several ways. A simple one is to lay a yard stick down on the floor with one end touching a wall. Then get barefoot and line one foot up alongside the yard stick. See how far away you can get the end of your big toe from the wall while keeping your heel grounded and having your knee touch the wall. Ideally, you can get 4 to 5 inches. In the video below, I demonstrate this for you.

Key Technique Points For Foam Rolling The Calf Muscles

• Do one calf at a time to really focus.
• Use the other leg to add pressure if you need to.
• Roll slowly side to side to roll every aspect of the calf.
• Start at the bottom of the calf near the heel and work you way up inch by inch.
• Try using the pin-and-stretch method if you find areas that feel remarkably tight.
• See the video tutorial below for in-depth instruction on how to foam roll your calves.

Foam Rolling For Runners: Peroneals

These muscles are located on the outside area of the calf and shin. Tight and short peroneals are a factor in over-pronation, or when the foot rolls in excessively when you walk or run. Roll this muscle group can help keep your foot and ankle in a more neutral position.

If you “naturally” walk with your toes pointing out and your foot rolls in excessively, foam rolling your peroneals will probably help you a lot.

Key Technique Points For Foam Rolling The Peroneals

• While side lying over the foam roll, keep your hips off the ground.
• Use your other foot and leg to modulate the pressure you apply to the peroneals.
• See the video below for a detailed tutorial on foam rolling the peroneals.

Foam Rolling For Runners: IT Band

The IT band, or illiotibial band, is a common problem area for runners. Tightness in the muscles that attach to this dense band of fiber that runs down the side of your thigh can cause friction and pain on the outside edge of the knee.

Foam rolling this area can provide relief or prevention by inhibiting the tightness in the outside quadriceps and tensor fascia lata.

Foam rolling the IT band for relief of lateral knee pain associated with IT Band Syndrome has come under some criticism lately from some experts because it doesn’t really address the biomechanical issues that lead to IT band problems.

While that’s true, I still find it useful. It seems to give some relief immediately, which will let you address the imbalances with corrective exercises. Click here to see my post on correcting imbalances around the hip joint if you really want to address the problem.

Key Technique Points For Foam Rolling The IT Band

• Focus on the front part of the IT band, the part that seems to overlap with the outer quadricep (front thigh) muscle.
• This is probably one of the most painful areas to foam roll, so really focus on keeping your breathing slow and steady.
• See the video below for a tutorial on how to foam roll your IT band, and then check out the next section on the TFL (Tensor Fascia Lata) muscle. The TFL is usually the culprit in the IT band problem.

Foam Rolling For Runners: Tensor Fascia Lata (TFL)

This muscle is a common culprit in IT band issues.

Because it acts as both a hip flexor and hip abductor it can be active in both the stance phase and swing phase of the gait cycle.

When your foot is on the ground it’s contracting to keep your body from collapsing to the side, especially if your other hip abductors such as the gluteus medius are weak.

When your leg is swinging forward it can be active. So theoretically this constant activity tightens it up.

Key Technique Points For Foam Rolling The Tensor Fascia Lata (TFL)

• Finding the muscle is usually the hardest part. First find the two bony landmarks between which the muscle is located.
• The first bony landmark is the front part of the illiac crest. Place one hand about 2 inches below your navel and move your hand to the side to find the “hip bone”.
• The second bony landmark is the greater trochanter of the femur. Run your hand down the side of your hip applying pressure until you feel a bony notch. That’ the greater trochanter.
• The TFL is between those two bony landmarks. See the video on how to foam roll the tensor fascia lata below.

Many times the size of the foam roller makes it harder to get enough pressure on the TFL. In those cases, I like to use a lacrosse ball or racquetball instead. See the video below.

Foam Rolling For Runners: Piriformis

This deep hip rotator can restrict your hip mobility when it’s tight. Lack of hip mobility usually will manifest in lower back or knee pain. As with the tensor fascia lata, gaining strength in your gluteus medius may help keep the piriformis from becoming so tight.

Key Technique Points For Foam Rolling The Piriformis

• Finding the muscle is a big key here.
• It is deep underneath the glutes, between the sacrum and the greater trochanter.
• See the tutorial video below for detailed instruction on how to foam roll the piriformis.

Foam Rolling For Runners: Inner Thigh (Adductors)

Tightness here can cause your knees to collapse inward while squatting and running. So if your knees have a tendency to collapse inward when you squat, this foam roller exercise may be helpful in correcting that problem.

Also if the knee on your stance leg collapses inward after the foot strike during running, this one should be helpful. In addition, you should probably strengthen the glute med (gluteus medius).

Rolling these muscles will optimize your mechanics to prevent injury and increase efficiency. Efficiency means running faster with greater ease.

Key Technique Points For Foam Rolling The Adductors (Inner Thighs)

• Start with the foam roller on the middle of the inner thigh.
• Try it with the knee bent and the leg extended.
• Do your best to keep your breathing slow and steady when it get uncomfortable.

Foam Rolling For Runners: Hamstrings

These muscles are often tight and short and prone to muscle strains. Rolling these can feel good and allow for better spinal position when bending or lifting.

However, when hamstrings chronically feel tight or strained it’s usually a sign that the hip flexors or quads are tight and need stretching and rolling.

Key Technique Points For Foam Rolling The Hamstrings

• To get the right amount of pressure, you may need to do one leg at a time. Place the other leg on top of the one you’re rolling.
• For detailed instruction on foam rolling the hamstrings, see the video below.

Other Methods Of Self Myofascial Release For The Hamstrings

Sometimes it can be challenging to get into the right position to apply the needed pressure on the hamstrings with a foam roller. Another method that I’ve found easier to implement is to use a lacrosse ball or racquetball for the pin-and-stretch method.

Key Technique Points For The Pin-And-Stretch Hamstring Release

• Always breathe slowly.
• Find the tightest areas. Hold the pressure on the tender area and extend the knee on the exhalation of a slow breath.
• See the video tutorial below for detailed instruction on the pin-and-stretch technique for releasing the hamstrings.

Foam Rolling For Runners: Quadriceps

This group of muscles is usually tight and short if you run. If you happen to sit for long periods at work, then it’s probably extremely short and tight, especially the rectus femoris.

The rectus femoris is the upper part of this muscle group that is also a hip flexor. This means it will be prone to shortening and tightening when you sit for long hours at a desk.

Short and tight quads will mess your running up mechanically. They inhibit the gluteal muscles and compromise your stability and propulsion.

Roll the quads often, especially if you are a desk jockey.

Key Technique Points For Foam Rolling The Quads

• Turn the hips each direction to get the outer and inner aspects of the quadricep muscles.
• See the video tutorial below for detailed instruction on foam rolling the quads.

Foam Rolling For Runners: Upper Back

These muscles can tighten up if you sit for long periods in poor posture.  If your carry that poor sitting posture into your runs, then the problem is compounded. Foam rolling these muscle can give you instant relief.

If your upper back always has knots, then posture is your real problem and will probably improve with frequent pectoral stretching.

Key Technique Points For Foam Rolling The Upper Back

• Use a slow and steady movement
• Breathe slowly and use a bit of body turn to emphasize putting pressure on the areas that feel the tightest.
• Do it with your elbows out and in to change the position of the shoulder blades and target different muscles.
• See the video below for detailed instruction on how to foam roll the upper back.

Contraindications for Foam Rolling For Runners (Self-Myofascial Release)

(Don’t use self-myofascial release if you have the following.)

malignancy, goiter (enlarged thyroid), osteoporosis, osteomyelitis(infection of the bone tissue), eczema and other skin lesions, hypersensitive skin conditions, phlebitis (infection of superficial veins), open wounds, cellulitis (infection of the soft tissue), acute rheumatoid arthritis, healing fractures, obstructive edema, blood clot, advanced diabetes, aneurysm, hematoma or systemic or localized infection, anticoagulant therapy, febrile state, bursitis, advanced degenerative changes, sutures, organ failure, congestive heart failure, bleeding disorders

Source: National Academy of Sports Medicine, Essentials of Corrective Exercise Training

References:

Anatomy Trains: Myofascial Meridians for Manual and Movement Therapists, 3e , Thomas W. Myers

Ready to Run: Unlocking Your Potential to Run Naturally, Kelly Starrett and TJ Murphy

Also check out the Nick Ortego Fitness YouTube channel.