LGN injury re-hab roller top tips

Thursday, 15th March 2012

LGN Run Club's injury re-hab foam roller tips:

Our LGN in-house corporate Run Clubs aim to deliver unadulterated running joy, however, pesky injury niggles can limit this joy, so please find our top tips on using the iconic foam roller to either treat an on-going injury or keep potential niggles at bay.

How & why injury?

The human body rarely suffers from instantaneous injury, apart from impact related injuries (trips & falls etc), most common running injuries are due to an accumulation of physical stress over time that your body can no longer absorb or re-route to different areas and thus eventually capitulates via increased pain signals that simply make your running too painful and so forcing you to stop.

Foam roller key injury saviour:

One of the classic running niggles suitable for a foam roller is related to discomfort within or around the knee area, although the knee can look on first impressions as if it just flexes and straightens, it actually also provides rotational movement and thus is one of the most complex joints in the body.

The collective running experience from the team at LGN strongly indicated that knee related injury is often experienced by two broad categories:

1: New runners cranking up the distance tad too quickly

LGN executive summary of problem = Pain on outside of knee

Once you get in your LGN Run Club groove it is very easy to want to step up the progress quickly, espcially if you are a man, it is the January 1st and you have just watched Rocky 2...

This over zealous running progression can lead to tightening of your Glutes (aka your bum), this in turn can tighten & slightly alter the angle of your Iliotibial Band aka ITB, final result sore knee as your ITB rubs on the outside of your knee. 

LGN executive solution = invest in a foam roller and read LGN's Three C training philosophy attached below 

 

2: Someone running with inappropriate shoes and or adverse biomechanics. 

LGN executive summary of problem = Pain within knee or under knee cap

The vast majority of runners tend to 'over-pronate' slightly in between their foot striking the ground and pushing off. Over-pronating merely means that your feet rotate slightly too much inwards on each stride, and it is this over rotation that can cause problems by creating inflammation under your knee cap as your patella is repeatedly pulled very slightly to one side.

Over-pronation can be greatly reduced either by having gait diagnosis (Runners Need provide this service for free) or seeing a Podiatrist and having orthotics (bespoke insoles) fitted.

Prolonged over pronation can cause the outside aspect of your quadriceps (thighs) to become tight and when they get tight the knock on effect can be to create tension within your ITB.

LGN executive solution Foam roller + correct running footwear. 

How your foam roller works:

The foam roller simply uses your own body weight to create a powerful self massage, the often offending ITB has limited contractile muscle fibres, so although you will be attempting to ease ITB tension, the foam roller will critically be used to release the glute muscles (which hold the ITB) and the muscles on the outside of your quadriceps which also effect ITB tension.  

 

LGN top 5 user tips:

  1. Be aware leg sensitivity will diminish after initial foam roller use - allow 14 days for progress. 
  2. Aim to roll over areas of sensitivity using slow control - don't rush
  3. Don't forget to roll both sides & both legs - we don't want you running in circles..
  4. Over time try to exert more pressure on muscle - e.g. by removing leg support etc
  5. Avoid rolling over bone or joints - it's the soft stuff we are looking for

 

Re-hab - Little and often:

The great thing with using a foam roller is that the exercises don't have to take over your life, instead finding just 2 minutes at the beginning and end of the day is enough, but critically LGN would recommend continuing foam roller use after the knee niggle has completely been eradicated as a long term pre-emptive measure.

 

Enough LGN words, show me the video demo!

LGN's London based physiotherapy recommendation are the clinic team at Injury Rehab, their clinic founder is Ciaran McCoole who is one of the UK's leading lights in sports and knee related injury recovery.

Injury Rehab have the following foam roller demo & the voice is none other than Ciaran McCoole himself: www.injuryrehab.co.uk/video/2_2_iliotibial_band_foam_roller_exercise_video.php   

Ciaran McCoole also provided LGN with the following thoughts on why a foam roller can be the key to knee injury problems:

"Probably the simplest and most cost effective tool ever devised to help with lower limb and most especially knee pain. I would think that for a sporting knee injury, the foam roller can total up to 60 % of the symptom relief in any rehab programme. It's use is simple and it comes in all sizes and densities to help the gradual loading of the soft tissues.
 
Used twice daily and pre/post exercise it takes just one to two minutes to cover the surface areas required. It has the benefit of body weight that helps compress or release the tight muscle blockages and aids fluid movement which in turn helps with muscle recovery and post exercise stiffness and soreness.
 
A foam roller can be used for both injury rehabilitation and also in the maintenance of good muscle function and recovery. It is an adjunct to and not a replacement for professional help in the form of assessment of any injury or the treatment of sports massage or deep tissue therapy."

If you would like to make an appointment with Ciaran and his Injury Rehab team (based on Abbey Road just 2mins walk from St Johns Wood Tube) please call 020 7266 2368 or email info@injuryrehab.co.uk

 

Where can I buy a foam roller?

Foam rollers are now widely available both at online and at running specialist stores. Prices range from about £10 for a very basic roller, these guys deliver straight to your door - www.physicalcompany.co.uk/stability-roll-4-x-25-pid5087.html, LGN recommend a high density version as opposed to softest option.

Or if you feeling flush you can also buy foam rollers designed to create a deeper trigger release massage effect, these are available from our partners at Runners Need

www.runnersneed.com/trigger%20point%20performance%20foam%20grid%20roller/injury-prevention-&-recovery/running-specialists/fcp-product/1924

 

Keep rolling on injury free & good luck from all the team at LGN!

 

Ps - if you looking for foam rolling inspiration please find sing-along lyrics below:

Theme from Rawhide - as per Blues Brothers 1980

Rolling, rolling, rolling 
Rolling, rolling, rolling 
Rolling, rolling, rolling 
Rolling, rolling, rolling 

Rawhide 

Roiling, rolling, rolling 
Though the streams are swollen 
Keep them doggies rolling 
Rawhide...

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