Who knew a pool noodle could be so fun!

[Sealy]

My trainer, wants me to put this shortened pool noodle along my spine and lie on it for 10 mins. I did this today, and it was sort of uncomfortable...so I wasn't sure. As soon as I got up, after 10 mins., my back felt so loose and my chest totally open.

I highly recommend this as a great mid to upper back stretch.

 

[brikis98]

Sounds like foam rolling, which is known to be pretty effective.


EDIT ---> ugh, wth, how did my post end up first?

 

[Sealy]

1) 6" foam roller (either the 1' long or 3' long version)

2) Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing" CD

3) A leopard-skin thong

4) Two quarts of baby oil to lube yourself up

LMAO!!!

not exactly how I executed my pool noodle stretch, but please try this and let me know how it goes!

 

[irishScott]

Originally posted by: Sealy
My trainer, wants me to put this shortened pool noodle along my spine and lie on it for 10 mins. I did this today, and it was sort of uncomfortable...so I wasn't sure. As soon as I got up, after 10 mins., my back felt so loose and my chest totally open.

I highly recommend this as a great mid to upper back stretch.

I gotta try this.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: Sealy
My trainer, wants me to put this shortened pool noodle along my spine and lie on it for 10 mins. I did this today, and it was sort of uncomfortable...so I wasn't sure. As soon as I got up, after 10 mins., my back felt so loose and my chest totally open.

I highly recommend this as a great mid to upper back stretch.

Yep, I've seen this used by physical therapists with certain injuries to the neck and back. You need to be careful if you actually have a back/neck injury because your trainer is not a physical therapist and shouldn't be giving you advice on it (if it's actually an injury). If it's just tightness and such, then kudos to him for giving you such a good stretch.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: brikis98
Sounds like foam rolling, which is known to be pretty effective.


EDIT ---> ugh, wth, how did my post end up first?

Just wanted to make a quick note: a PTA I deal with participated in some research on the IT band. You cannot physically stretch the IT band or roll out the fascia. It requires something like 5,000 pounds of force to do it. Dynamic warmups are really the only thing that can help you out with that. For me, I do hurdle drills where I stand at a fence, facing the fence (kinda like a ballerina with the railing) and swing my leg from side to side. I just wanted to mention this because rolling the IT band is especially painful and results in little to no tangible results.

 

[InflatableBuddha]

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged

Originally posted by: brikis98
Sounds like foam rolling, which is known to be pretty effective.


EDIT ---> ugh, wth, how did my post end up first?

Just wanted to make a quick note: a PTA I deal with participated in some research on the IT band. You cannot physically stretch the IT band or roll out the fascia. It requires something like 5,000 pounds of force to do it. Dynamic warmups are really the only thing that can help you out with that. For me, I do hurdle drills where I stand at a fence, facing the fence (kinda like a ballerina with the railing) and swing my leg from side to side. I just wanted to mention this because rolling the IT band is especially painful and results in little to no tangible results.

I agree the hurdle drills are effective, but I have also used a foam roller on my IT bands quite effectively.

One higher mileage week a few months ago, I developed some pain on the outside of my knee, and I realized I hadn't been rolling out my ITBs in a while. However, I had been doing dynamic warmups.

After doing so at the end of a core strength session, I was pain free on my next run. I continued to use the foam roller for months after that, through my marathon training, and the specific knee pain associated with a tight ITB never returned.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: InflatableBuddha

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged

Originally posted by: brikis98
Sounds like foam rolling, which is known to be pretty effective.


EDIT ---> ugh, wth, how did my post end up first?

Just wanted to make a quick note: a PTA I deal with participated in some research on the IT band. You cannot physically stretch the IT band or roll out the fascia. It requires something like 5,000 pounds of force to do it. Dynamic warmups are really the only thing that can help you out with that. For me, I do hurdle drills where I stand at a fence, facing the fence (kinda like a ballerina with the railing) and swing my leg from side to side. I just wanted to mention this because rolling the IT band is especially painful and results in little to no tangible results.

I agree the hurdle drills are effective, but I have also used a foam roller on my IT bands quite effectively.

One higher mileage week a few months ago, I developed some pain on the outside of my knee, and I realized I hadn't been rolling out my ITBs in a while. However, I had been doing dynamic warmups.

After doing so at the end of a core strength session, I was pain free on my next run. I continued to use the foam roller for months after that, through my marathon training, and the specific knee pain associated with a tight ITB never returned.

I would guess that it wasn't quite the ITB that was causing the knee pain. I'll see if I can find a research article on it. Glad whatever you did helped though.

EDIT: Argh, time warp.

 

[soccerballtux]

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged

Originally posted by: Sealy
My trainer, wants me to put this shortened pool noodle along my spine and lie on it for 10 mins. I did this today, and it was sort of uncomfortable...so I wasn't sure. As soon as I got up, after 10 mins., my back felt so loose and my chest totally open.

I highly recommend this as a great mid to upper back stretch.

Yep, I've seen this used by physical therapists with certain injuries to the neck and back. You need to be careful if you actually have a back/neck injury because your trainer is not a physical therapist and shouldn't be giving you advice on it (if it's actually an injury). If it's just tightness and such, then kudos to him for giving you such a good stretch.

Social or Sealy could either of you explain this more? I'm completely confused. By "along the spine" do you mean parallel to, or perpendicular to the spine (length wise)? Does it matter where you place it, do you spend 5 minutes on each position? How does this not stress your back in odd ways? I'm very suspicious of this, although I admit I am no chiropractor or biology person or whatever. Would just like to see a bit more of the science behind it.

 

[Sealy]

Originally posted by: soccerballtux

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged

Originally posted by: Sealy
My trainer, wants me to put this shortened pool noodle along my spine and lie on it for 10 mins. I did this today, and it was sort of uncomfortable...so I wasn't sure. As soon as I got up, after 10 mins., my back felt so loose and my chest totally open.

I highly recommend this as a great mid to upper back stretch.

Yep, I've seen this used by physical therapists with certain injuries to the neck and back. You need to be careful if you actually have a back/neck injury because your trainer is not a physical therapist and shouldn't be giving you advice on it (if it's actually an injury). If it's just tightness and such, then kudos to him for giving you such a good stretch.

Social or Sealy could either of you explain this more? I'm completely confused. By "along the spine" do you mean parallel to, or perpendicular to the spine (length wise)? Does it matter where you place it, do you spend 5 minutes on each position? How does this not stress your back in odd ways? I'm very suspicious of this, although I admit I am no chiropractor or biology person or whatever. Would just like to see a bit more of the science behind it.

you lay the noodle down on the floor, then lie down on it so that it's right on your spin, running the same way as your spine extending out under your head. Your head is resting on the noodle as well. The bottom of the noodle should be about 4" inches below the bra line

Social: My trainer not only works for a chiropractor and physio and massage therapists, I actually go see a massage therapist very regularly (i'm down to once a month now) I run everything by her first, before I try it...including the resistance stretching.

I'm not a jump into something and see how it goes type person, I'm very careful.

 

[InflatableBuddha]

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged

Originally posted by: InflatableBuddha

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged

Originally posted by: brikis98
Sounds like foam rolling, which is known to be pretty effective.


EDIT ---> ugh, wth, how did my post end up first?

Just wanted to make a quick note: a PTA I deal with participated in some research on the IT band. You cannot physically stretch the IT band or roll out the fascia. It requires something like 5,000 pounds of force to do it. Dynamic warmups are really the only thing that can help you out with that. For me, I do hurdle drills where I stand at a fence, facing the fence (kinda like a ballerina with the railing) and swing my leg from side to side. I just wanted to mention this because rolling the IT band is especially painful and results in little to no tangible results.

I agree the hurdle drills are effective, but I have also used a foam roller on my IT bands quite effectively.

One higher mileage week a few months ago, I developed some pain on the outside of my knee, and I realized I hadn't been rolling out my ITBs in a while. However, I had been doing dynamic warmups.

After doing so at the end of a core strength session, I was pain free on my next run. I continued to use the foam roller for months after that, through my marathon training, and the specific knee pain associated with a tight ITB never returned.

I would guess that it wasn't quite the ITB that was causing the knee pain. I'll see if I can find a research article on it. Glad whatever you did helped though.

EDIT: Argh, time warp.

I'd be interested if you find something about that. The pain was isolated on the outside of my knee, and I could only feel it when my leg landed (i.e foot strike, not when pushing off).

I was using the foam roller along the length of the outside of my thigh. I thought this was the ITB, but maybe it's another tendon or muscle nearby?

 

[Sealy]

I am trying to get my trainer to sign up on Anandtech and post in here, she's so knowledgable about all this stuff, much more than me!

 

[lovemovement]

InflatableBuddha - look into more consistent stretches of ALL quad heads, if you're experiencing pain on the lateral side of your knee it could be a collateral ligament or your vastus lateralis is tight and pulling the patella towards your femur - patellafemoral syndrome. If you're having problems with your IT it usually presents as pain closer to the glut. Hope this is helpful

 

[eits]

i do foam rolling exercises a lot for patients with i.t. band issues, tight hamstrings, tight abs, etc. it's great.

 

[NGC_604]

So when should one use a foam roller, pre/post workout or off days? I have one, but I haven't gotten a clear answer on when is best to use it. Unless it was in that T-nation article and I missed it.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Originally posted by: energydan
So when should one use a foam roller, pre/post workout or off days? I have one, but I haven't gotten a clear answer on when is best to use it. Unless it was in that T-nation article and I missed it.

If you're gonna do it on your workout days, do it afterwards since if you do it before, everything will just tighten up anyhow. You could use it on off days as well just as you would static stretching.

 

[NGC_604]

Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged

Originally posted by: energydan
So when should one use a foam roller, pre/post workout or off days? I have one, but I haven't gotten a clear answer on when is best to use it. Unless it was in that T-nation article and I missed it.

If you're gonna do it on your workout days, do it afterwards since if you do it before, everything will just tighten up anyhow. You could use it on off days as well just as you would static stretching.

Thanks!