Are you often in pain from soft tissues that are overly tight? Or do you have a consistent self-care routine that involves stretching and massage? I sometimes feel like I am beating a dead horse with all of this self-care business, but trust me, it can really help make your life so much more enjoyable in a myriad of ways. There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking the time to care for yourself. And in this instance, you can also help prevent injury, reduce delayed onset muscle soreness after a workout, and decrease pain. In addition, you can increase performance in your fitness endeavors, hobbies that are physical in nature, and even activities of daily living. This is pretty exciting stuff!
Making a consistent stretching routine into a daily or weekly habit can change your life, and while stretching is a wonderful activity in itself, one of the most beneficial actions we can do is called self-myofascial release (SMR). Sounds fancy, but it's fairly easy. Basically, SMR entails releasing knots in your muscles and the fascia in and around them all by yourself. These knots in your soft tissue can be caused by many things including injury, overuse, poor posture, and incorrect form while exercising. A sedentary lifestyle and extended periods of inactivity can also cause areas of tension, as can being dehydrated, unhealthy eating habits, and even anxiety. Have you ever developed a knot in your neck or shoulder when you are under a lot of stress? SMR can help relieve these areas of tension and is fairly simple to do. But first, let me back up a bit.
Most of you have heard me mention fascia before, but if you are a new subscriber or for some reason haven't worked with me yet, let me explain. Fascia is a thin tissue that encompasses, supports, and connects almost everything in our bodies. It runs from the top of our heads to the tip of our toes, and everywhere else in between. This nerve-filled soft tissue runs vertically in both the front and the back of the body, and in a diagonal fashion as well. Subsequently, an injury in the fascia in one part of the body can be realized as pain somewhere else. This is why sometimes a shoulder injury will effect the opposite hip and why a foot massage can sometimes help a headache.
When this tissue gets injured, dried out, and/or knotty, our bodies don't move as well as they should. This can cause pain and injury, and also decrease performance. When imagining how your fascia encompasses muscle tissue, it totally makes sense to release this before you even begin stretching, and also prior to activity, as a cool down, or anytime you are experiencing muscle tension.
Personally, I have quite a few tools in my SMR kit. I'd also be willing to bet that you have some sort of ball or rolling pin located somewhere in your house. Some of the other paraphernalia I use on a regular basis are a 36-inch foam roller, a Thera-cane, and a 5-inch sand-filled medicine ball. I have collected quite a bit more throughout the years, but those are the 5 tools I rely on the most. Nevertheless, my first tool was a basic racquetball ball. It is probably the easiest to use due to its size and density, and also easy to acquire if for some reason there are no balls around your house. Tennis balls are a little softer, but still do wonders in the releasing department. Golf and lacrosse balls work, too, but you will need to start out easy because of their greater density. I'll explain how to do a couple of SMR exercises that utilize a ball in a bit.
First, some guidelines for SMR. You can move your body, the apparatus, or both, until you find a sensitive spot. Go slowly, and really pay attention to what you are experiencing. The pressure should not take your breath away, bring tears to your eyes, or cause you to make an ugly face. If it does, get off of it immediately and try sneaking around the overly tender area instead. Remember, everything is connected through your fascia so you can always find a nearby spot that is more manageable, while still getting a good release.
Stay off of bony areas, including your spine and especially your lumbar spine (low back). Avoid attempting SMR on bruises or open wounds. Be extra mindful if you are pregnant or have been diagnosed with osteoporosis, advanced diabetes, cellulitis, varicose veins, blood clots, or an aneurysm. In most cases you can avoid exacerbating these issues by avoiding the affected body part or adjusting the pressure applied.
After you have located the spot you want to release, stay there and breathe slowly for at least 30 seconds, adjusting the pressure if needed so it's manageable. Taking 5 slow breaths is usually comparable to 30 seconds, but feel free to stay there for up to 90 seconds. You can also try contracting and relaxing the muscle by moving the nearest joint. For example, if you are trying to release your calf, you can point and flex your foot at the ankle or for an amazing quadriceps release, flex and extend your knee (bend and straighten your leg).
If you have a moment now and a ball on hand, try a bit of SMR on your feet. You can do this sitting or standing, wherever you feel more comfortable. Grab a ball and take off your shoes, maybe your socks, too. Place the middle of your foot on the ball and move it around your arch. If you are standing, you can probably apply a bit more pressure. Roll the ball along the length of the bottom of the foot, and then across the sole of the foot, as well. Find the most sensitive spot, hang out there, and breathe for anywhere between 30 and 90 seconds. Remove the ball and stand on both feet for a moment and see if you notice the difference between the two. Not surprisingly, this can change the mobility of nearby tissues, too, including those of the calf, hamstrings, and even your back. Now do the other foot. You're welcome!
You can also use this ball to get some relief from that knot under your shoulder blade. This can be accomplished by lying on your back or standing against a wall. I often do it on long car trips using the back of my seat. Wherever you are, place the ball on or near the knot of tissue. Hold pressure there while you breathe or try moving the arm at the shoulder joint. Be careful not to overdo it. I have caused a lot of damage by applying more pressure than I needed, so be mindful.
When you finish enjoying SMR, try adding some gentle stretching to elongate the muscles you were targeting. Hold your stretches for at least 30 seconds, as well, or feel free to be more active and dynamic with your movements if you are a more advance exerciser. Adding SMR before stretching will help stimulate the stretch reflex, helping relax overly contracted muscle groups. SMR can also help increase circulation and blood flow to the area and the nearby tissues. To really get the most out of SMR, repeated sessions are best. Make it a habit and you will gain the most benefits from it.
If you want more information on acquiring SMR tools for your own kit, just respond to this email or send me a text. If you need one-on-one help executing SMR, please book a session with me and I can share with you exercises to target your overactive muscles to decrease pain and increase any performance goals you may have. If you are local, you can even try out some of my personal tools to see what would benefit you the most before you purchase anything.
If you have your own tools or can borrow them from someone, I can show you how to use them correctly. Remember, we can always work together virtually regardless of location and can probably even do it while utilizing a 30-minute session. If you would like to join me for classes this week, either in person or via Zoom, head over to my website and register there. Space is limited, as I will not take more than 10 participants to keep it as personal as possible. As always, you can also book sessions using the buttons below. Get busy taking care of you, and I will see you soon!