HEALING THE HIP – FOAM ROLLING TO THE RESCUE!
“And so I wait. I wait for time to heal the pain and raise me to my feet once again -
so that I can start a new path, my own path, the one that will make me whole again.”
― Jack Canfield, author ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ and ‘Success Principles’
It is now 4 months since my surgery. I am feeling much better than I was 2 months ago though I do still have some pain due to tightness and weakness in my quads, adductors, IT band and hip rotators! I could NOT lie on my new hip side to do side leg lifts..but was thrilled to discover the great value of a donut pillow which indents in the center to accommodate the painful hip!
Useful Rolling Tools: 2 Balls in a mesh case, Donut Cushion, Rolling Stick and Foam Roller
Before we begin our exploration into foam rolling, it’s important to remember that TRUE HOLISTIC HEALING emerges from a multitude of approaches as we as humans embody many systems within us. We are always in the process of healing-hurting-healing as a part of the flow of living our complicated lives.
Diane’s GUIDELINES TO HEALING
1) Approach YOUR healing with curiousity --be willing to experiment! The only way you will heal is to actually try out different approaches for yourself. Some approaches may work and some may not. Take charge of your healing, and don’t rely solely on the advice of others.
2) Every body, every pain and every challenge is different. What works for one person does not work for the next person, because each one of us has a different system that comes with different challenges. You may have experienced other traumas or inflammation that your body is still retaining that may respond better to a completely different approach.
3) The expanding field of energy medicine offers a wealth of new thinking approaches that offer us a way to relieve stress. The brain as an organ is not outside of or separate from the healing process. Your thoughts and emotions all play an enormous role in healing. By subjecting ourselves to repetitive patterning YOUR BRAIN may be reinforcing negative outcomes without your conscious awareness!
Microscopic view of fascial tissue
FASCIA AND FOAM ROLLING
A wonderful approach to relieving pain and tightness in the quadriceps (front of the thigh) muscles is to use a foam roller to roll out the full length of the thigh in a process called myofascial release. When a muscle has been injured, fascia surrounding the muscles tighten or compress in reaction, forming adhering scar tissue. This tightened tissue is your body’s defense and reaction to weakened and impaired muscles; in my case from the trauma of hip surgery. Quadriceps, however, can tighten for numerous reasons that have nothing to do with surgery but rather some other way you’ve been moving or overworking a muscle. In fact, many of us have tight quads and we can all benefit from rolling!
Foam rolling can go a long way to release muscular tension, soreness, increase athletic performance and improve the quality of your muscle tissue. It also increases blood flow, muscle flexibility and overall wellness. Rolling can be performed on almost any part of the body including the calf, feet, hamstrings, glutes (butt), the IT band and your back (but not on your spine), and I encourage everyone to explore and experiment with these tools.
A FEW NOTES BEFORE YOU BEGIN TO ROLL:
Roller is placed perpendicular to the muscle
If you are experiencing severe pain due to an injury, refrain from rolling directly on the pain point as it may aggravate or worsen the injury. Better to roll adjoining muscles that lead in the direction of the trigger point. By gradually and slowly rolling the muscles in the area of the quads, you can begin to heal the surrounding area which will help the injury area and eventually you can roll closer to the trigger point as the pain lessens.
As the name suggests, there are 4 quadriceps muscles, generally from the hip to the knee, each with a different origin and insertion. Keep the roller perpendicular to the muscles and try to adjust the angle to follow the direction of the muscle.
Listen to your body when it comes to adjusting the pressure on the roller – working too hard can be painful and too lightly can be ineffective! When I first started rolling, I found it very painful because of the tightness in my quad. You can lighten the load by placing your weight on your forearms and putting both thighs on the roller instead of just one. The intensity increases by putting just one leg on the roller. As you continue this practice, the tightness and pain will gradually lessen as your fascia releases.
Foam rolling as a therapeutic exercise is most effective when done regularly (preferably before or after exercise) I’ve incorporated rolling as part of my healing routine so that my muscles can get used to it and enjoy a progressive result. The more consistently you do it (I try for 1 -2x daily) the more effective you will be in releasing your tight quads.
Rolling on one leg with R leg crossed behind the L leg. This is more pressure on one leg, so back off if it’s too intense!
Releasing Tight Quads with a Foam Roller
Lie face down on a mat and place the roller on the middle of your thighs. Use your forearms on the floor for support and your chin tucked in so as not to strain your neck.
Tighten abs and slightly tuck your pelvis slightly to prevent lower back from sagging.
Begin rolling the quads slowly from the hips to the knees, with your legs straight and off the ground. This takes a moment to get used to. You’ll need to move your arm position as you roll forward and back.
When you find the most tender part of the muscle, gently roll or hold on that spot for 30–90 seconds while relaxing/breathing until the pain or discomfort is reduced.
I often continue to roll on the side of my leg so I can release my tight IT Band and the Tensor Fascia Latae. To do this, I lie on my side, placing the roller in the center of my thigh. Place the foot of other leg on the floor, one hand in front and one elbow on your side. Using your foot and hand roll the side of the leg from the hip to the knee. BE CAREFUL to not roll directly on the bones. You can also roll the INSIDE of your leg (Adductor muscles) as well as your calf, hamstrings and butt.
Roll for about 10x back and forth. Once you are more comfortable with rolling you can increase this to 15-20x or more! Your legs and muscles will feel much better. Try experimenting gently with parts of the leg that are ‘speaking’ to you. You may discover different body parts to explore and release!
Rubber balls, tennis balls or handball soft balls can all work well to release tight tissue.
Using a Ball to Release Tight muscles in the Lower Back, Hips and Glutes
Lower back, hip rotators and glutes when tight can cause pain moving and sitting. In cohoots with the quads, my glutes, hip rotators and lower back muscles often take turns in sending out pain signals.
Roll on either side of the spine! Using 2 tennis balls in a sock with a rubber band to enclose, you can create a wonderful tool to roll out the spine. Place the balls on either side of the spine, so that the actual spine does not get rolled on. This will relieve tightness in the upper, middle and lower spine muscles. Be careful to keep the rolling away from the bone itself. I have also found the balls sold commercially online. One brand TuneUpFitness.com packages them together in a wire mesh casing (as seen above)which makes it very convenient.
When working on tight tissue in the glutes and rotators, follow the pain and intuitively roll it around areas of tightness releasing the pain where you feel it most. You can also stand up against a wall. and use the pressure from the ball against the wall to get relief. I find both ways effective.
Two Approaches to Rolling the Lower Back, Hips and Glutes.
Above: Lying on ball moving gently in different directions to get different muscles
Below: Pressing back and ball against the wall may give you more leverage to move around!
Place ball on lower spine and adjust to where the tightness or pain is. Rolling on different lower back and hip muscles can help you feel a lot better!
Foam Rolling offers an ancillary approach to releasing tight fascia particularly when combined with an effective stretching and strengthening exercise program like ESSENTRICS®. In order to engage in a consistent practice of moving and healing the fascia, my classes are designed to fit your needs. FITNESS EMPOWERMENT Essentrics® class directly targets lengthening and strengthening the fascia and all 650 muscles through fluid movement, breath and body awareness specifically to relieve sore, injured and pain points and help your body feel healthy and vibrant. To schedule a free consultation, fill out the contact form on this site or reach me directly at: dbjznew@gmail.com
OF ALL THE MOVEMENT AND DANCING I DO, Essentrics HAS BEEN MY GREATEST HEALER. Foam and Ball Rolling in addition to Essentrics is a winning combination!
TRUE HOLISTIC HEALING pulls back for a wider view at the role your brain and powerful emotions play. Join me on the healing path when I introduce TAPPING or Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) a transformative energy medicine that involves tapping on chakra points to eliminate stress, pain and help you heal faster!!
And announcing soon.. an in-person Tapping Training in January!
Special thanks to the Harkness Center for Dance Injuries at NYU Langone and my physical therapist Gia Salerno!
“You have the power to heal your life, and you need to know that. We think so often that we are helpless, but we're not. We always have the power of our minds…Claim and consciously use your power.” – Louise L. Hay, motivational author, founder of Hay House.
TO SCHEDULE YOUR FREE CONSULTATION : dbjznew@gmail.com
Movement classes for every body to help you feel better!!
