A new way to stretch for active agers - Why should I use a foam roller?

The benefits of stretching are ample including reduced injury and pain and improved muscle function.  In the last 10 years using products such as foam rollers and balls have been all the rage to help to deeply stretch not only muscles but tendons.  This deep stretching will help to release knots in the muscles and encourage blood flow which will bring healing.

Our Vintage Fitness personal trainers, who are experts in 50+ fitness find that many clients are hesitant to use these kinds of stretching aids because they are not sure how to use them or they can be tricky to get on and off.

Over the next 6 weeks I will blog about:

• The benefits of stretching aids like balls and foam rollers
• Back stretches using stretching aids
• Hip stretches using stretching aids (great if you have hip pain)
• Leg stretches using stretching aids (will give ways to stretch your hamstrings even if you have bad arthritis in your knees)
• Modified stretches using stretching aids if you can’t easily stretch on the floor
• Modified stretches using stretching aids if you have weak wrists

The benefits of stretching aids like balls and foam rollers

Foam rolling has often been linked with athletes that want to improve their athletic performance and reduce their injury time.  Vintage Fitness personal trainers have been using foam rollers with active agers and finding huge benefits for their clients.

• Improved posture by loosening the often tight muscles in the upper back
• Reduce hip pain by releasing the muscles in the fronts and sides of the hips
• Prevent sciatica by kneading out the deep muscles in the butt
•  Reduce knee pain by rolling out the IT bands (especially good for walkers and runners)

There are hundreds of stretching products on the market.  A few things to consider before purchasing them:

• Are you able to get down on the floor easily to roll on a foam roller? If not consider using a small ball such as a tennis ball.  In week 5 I will review standing stretches using a wall, a tennis ball and a sock.
• How tight are your muscles currently? There are lots of different densities of foam rollers from high density which are more intense designed more for athletes and low density which are not as intense.
• Do you need to transport the stretching aid? I prefer longer foam rollers because you can lay on them but smaller ones are advised if you want to bring it travelling or to your cottage.
• I would advise against the foam rollers which have knobs on them as for most of our clients and for me, they are just too intense and painful.

If you would like a Vintage Fitness personal trainer to come to your home or condo gym to show you how to use stretching aids drop me a note erin@vintagefitness.ca

Good Luck

Erin

Vintage Fitness

Click to Call    416-951-7978

Vintage Fitness is an in home personal training company in Toronto, Canada.  We specialize in energizing the lives of people over 50 with exercise.