Foam rolling, otherwise known as a self-myofascial release (SMR) technique, is used by many athletes and physiotherapists to help in the recovery of tight and exhausted muscles. Foam rollers come in various sizes and densities, which may be indicated by its color depending on the brands. These rollers are generally firm and cannot be compressed, and serve as useful tools for massage, myofascial release and exercises that correct postures, also commonly found in Pilates workout routines.

Importance of Core Stabilisation and Muscular Balance for runners

Weak or insufficient coordination in core musculature can lead to less efficient movements, compensatory movement patterns, strain, overuse, and injury. As middle and long distance running involves balanced and powerful movements of the body in propelling our bodies forward and maintaining complex motor patterns, it is essential to have a stable core and a strong foundation of muscular balance.

While there is a common misconception that core stabilisation is about building up muscles, the main goal of core stabilisation is to train ‘‘movements’’ and ‘‘positions’’. This explains why when training our core, we should be focusing on our posture and form, instead of the intensity of the workout. This can be achieved with the help of a foam roller.

Injury Prevention

Foam-rolling is meant to be performed in addition to our traditional stretching, proper warm-ups and cool downs; it is not meant to be a replacement for these. Foam-rolling helps prevent injuries through soft tissue mobilisation, which reduce tightness and soreness of muscles by increasing blood flow and flexibility. As such, the risks associated with muscle strain or cramps due to insufficient stretching are reduced.

Most running injuries are known to occur at the iliotibial band (or IT band), the band that covers the exterior area of the leg from the hip to just below the knee. A common condition experienced by athletes, the Iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS) is a knee injury that results from the inflammation of the IT band due to excessive rubbing against the tibial tubercle (see below). Athletes with ITBS suffer not only pain in the knees while running, but also soreness in the hip area as well.

With the regular stretching using foam rollers, “knots” and “trigger points” (i.e. sensitive spots in muscle) can be targeted and broken up. This is done by applying pressure on target spots of your muscles with your body weight, and relieve the tension felt in the area. The improved blood flow to those problem areas will reduce the pain and soreness of the muscles.

How to get rolling?

There are many different ways a foam roller can be placed and positioned to suit the needs of your body and the most important thing to note is to never treat the foam rolling process as a pain tolerance test where you exert so much pressure on the targeted area to the extent that it aggravates the tension of the muscle area which you are trying to relief. There are also different types of foam rollers, offering you different levels of intensities depending on the depth of the ridges.

The following are some key considerations, adapted from Therapeutic Associates Inc. (TAI), a physical therapy centre based in the USA:

• Do not roll over bony areas (like your knee) or areas where you have an open wound or injury (unless instructed by a medical professional).
• Always roll in line with the muscles and at a slow and steady pace.
• When you roll over a tight, painful area (muscle knot), slow down the speed and stay on top of this area for about 20-30 seconds or until you feel the area release.
• If it is too painful to stay on top of this area, decrease the force by unweighting the area. When you are finished rolling, make sure that you drink plenty of water, just like you would after a massage.

For detailed instructions on the different foam rolling techniques, the TAI has made an instructional document for all online users here.

As foam rollers have become increasingly popular among the fitness community, there are also many online tutorials and classes available on how to use the foam roller. In addition to more discoveries and surprising results of using foam rollers in injury prevention, these unassuming rolling tubes have proven their worth in revolutionizing the health and fitness world.

Are you excited for the Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore 2015? Happening on the 5 and 6 December 2015, the Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore is the biggest and most popular annual marathon event in Singapore. If you are not sure or are still considering whether to participate in the marathon event this year, you may refer to this simple infographic to find out what you can expect during the route and some of the attractions you can see during the race.

Running, especially long distances, can be a mundane activity for many – whether it is for losing weight, staying fit or as a warm up activity. Do you feel enthusiastic to go for a run after a sinful feast to burn off the extra calories? Just discovered a nice running route near your house or workplace? Have a new piece of sportswear or pair of running shoes, and perhaps a newfound running buddy? These sparks of excitement may motivate you to go for a run, but before you could finish your run, exhaustion and the dread of seemingly slow-passing time starts to kick in.

What do you do then? The trick is to keep your mind active and away from negative thoughts of giving up. While the following tips might not be advisable for those running with an objective to enhance concentration, these ideas may allow you to perceive running as more than just a physical activity and hopefully make your run less monotonous and more meaningful:

1. Activate Your Senses

When we are running, we usually look right ahead and focus on completing the course instead of looking at our surroundings. This may make the journey appear never-ending and exhausting. Running is a great time to open up your visual and auditory senses and feel the surroundings that you are journeying through. As you glance around at the greenery, the skyscrapers, or even the people around you; you may discover something amazing from your runs. Become a tourist in your own land, be curious – allow yourself to absorb the sights and sounds, and you are likely to forget about the slow-passing time and physical exhaustion.

2. Goal and Task-Making Time

It can be very satisfying to make goals while working for one at the same time. Rather than repeating thoughts of how much distance or time you have to complete throughout your run, you can also set goals and tasks for things other than running. For example, “I aim to complete my assignments by 11pm tonight”, “To hit sales target by the end of this month”, or even “To cook and prepare my own meals for work or school as healthier choices”. This adds meaning to your runs and boosts your motivation to complete goals!

3. Counting Game

This is a no brainer tactic to ease the dread of running time. Simply find an object that you see – houses, trees, cars etc and then start counting them as you run! Switch it up by incorporating more elements of the things you would like to count, for instance, number of red colored cars or people wearing hats. Get creative, and this will make your runs more fun and engaging.

4. Sing

It has been known to some that singing while running can actually improve one’s stamina and singing skills. Each stride you take in your run helps to develop a steady rhythm or tempo to your breathing, so it helps to get you on the beat while singing. For most people, when we sing, we breathe with our lungs or with additional force on our diaphragm to project our voice. However, when we run, we tend to breathe with our diaphragm, which is the best way to take in the maximum amount of air with each breath. As such, when you sing and run at the same time, you indirectly improve your sense of rhythm and breathing techniques, and this makes running a whole lot more interesting! This is probably another reason why singers are often spotted running while preparing for song recordings or concerts.

5. Vary Your Running Style

Who says you have to run in a straight line all the way? Incorporating different running styles can actually improve your body control and response. Keeping in mind of road safety, running in a zig-zag manner during intervals of your run can test your power, speed and responsiveness as you change the direction of your stride.

Besides varying in direction, adjusting your speed can also increase the difficulty and fun of your run. Similar to the concept of negative splits, you can run slow for the first 10 minutes and increase your speed for the subsequent 10 and then repeat the cycle until complete. You can also vary your stride length and rate from time to time. In this way, your run becomes somewhat similar to a circuit training, except that the circuit components are now replaced by a diversity of running methods.

6. Listen to Yourself

Last but not least, sometimes running unplugged – just you and yourself without music, can be an enjoyable activity by paying attention to your breathing, heart beat and steps. As you run uphill or downhill, try to take note of the changes in your heartbeat and breathing: louder or softer, faster or slower and identify a pattern from it.

This is good for you to understand your body and how it copes with different running routes. Many people simply run and not realize the work that their bodies are executing and often take them for granted. It is through such self-observation that you know where your strengths and weaknesses are in running that route and subsequently think of ways to cope with that particular stretch by increasing your stride rate or size. Some people might also take this opportunity while running in silence to meditate and self-reflect on their life aspirations and beliefs.