Foam Rollers Help Decrease Arterial Stiffness
I found out about foam rollers about 6 or 7 years ago from Mark Sisson’s blog. It was actually the first post I ever read by Mark.
And just this past week, he pointed me toward an incredibly interesting study on Foam Rollers:
Acute Effects of Self-Myofascial Release Using a Foam Roller on Arterial Function
If you don’t know, a foam roller is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a cylindrical piece of foam that you use to “roll” many parts of your body. Most athletes use foam rollers, and for good reason. It’s an excellent way to massage out your muscles, reduce soreness and stiffness, and gradually improve flexibility in some areas.
But the study above seems to indicate that foam rollers are also good for your heart health. When it comes to your heart, one of the primary dangers is hardening and stiffening of the arteries. But in the study, researchers found that people who regularly used a foam roller had significantly lower stiffness in their arteries.
The study doesn’t propose much in the way of causal mechanisms, so there are various possible explanations. However, given how cheap foam rollers are and how easy they are to use at home, what’s the downside to trying?