Self-myofascial release (SMR) has a positive effect on athletes and fitness enthusiasts. With this technique, you will be able to target sore areas and control how much pressure to apply.
Understanding Fascia and Trigger Points
Fascia is a connective tissue layer surrounding muscles, bones, joints, and internal organs. It has an important role in the support and function of our bodies. Any changes in the tone or structure of the fascia may affect your athletic performance and daily activities.
On the other hand, a trigger point or muscle "knot" is a small patch of tightly contracted muscle. This can occur in muscle, the muscle-tendon junctions, bursa, or fat pad which may lead to a variety of injuries. Some of the causes are poor posture and body mechanics, acute physical trauma, overtraining, and inadequate rest between training sessions.
Benefits of Myofascial Release
Self-myofascial release is a simple technique that you can use to alleviate trigger points. This is where the APE Training massage ball comes into play. The benefits are many:
- It reduces soreness from workouts.
- It helps prevent further damage and injuries to your muscles.
- Tightness in your muscles are released.
- Your blood flow increases which aid in faster recovery.
General Guidelines
- You can perform SMR at the beginning or end of a workout.
- Roll the peanut lacrosse ball slowly back and forth, spending one or two minutes on each area.
- Apply direct pressure over the trigger point for 10 to 20 seconds. It's the pressure - not the rolling - that aids in healing.
- You may experience a slight discomfort at first but with regular sessions, the pain will subside facilitating repair of soft tissues.
- Avoid rolling over bony areas and joints.
Overall, this is a good way to super-