Foam Rolling: Hurts So Good or Just Hurts?

By: Kelsie Mazur, DPT

If you've ever found yourself face-down on a foam roller questioning all your life choices, you’re definitely not alone. Foam rolling is one of those "love-hate" habits we all know we should be doing… right up there with flossing, eating kale, and texting your mom back. But is it actually as magical as people claim, or just another trendy torture device collecting dust in the corner of your living room? Let's roll into it. (Pun intended.)

At its core, foam rolling is a form of self-myofascial release, which is just a fancy way of saying you're giving yourself a massage without the hefty spa bill. It targets tight muscles and what feels like "sticky" fascia, improving blood flow, mobility, and soreness. 

A common myth about foam rolling is that it "breaks up" muscle knots. I hate to break it to you, but that's not how it works. You're not smashing knots apart like a human hammer. What you’re actually doing is desensitizing the nervous system and helping your body relax those cranky areas. When we talk about foam rolling "desensitizing" an area, we're really talking about the nervous system’s role in muscle tension and pain. A lot of what we feel as tightness, stiffness, or even "knots" is actually the nervous system keeping muscles guarded and protective, not necessarily a physical blockage you can smash away. Foam rolling applies gentle, sustained pressure that sends signals back to the brain saying, "Hey, it's safe to relax here." Over time, this pressure can lower the sensitivity of pain receptors in the tissue, allowing muscles to loosen, tension to decrease, and movement to improve. It’s not that you’re physically breaking things apart, BUT you’re teaching your body to stop overreacting. In short: foam rolling is less about "fixing" tissue and more about calming the system that's overprotecting it.

Another popular misunderstanding? That the more it hurts, the better it must be working. Not true. In fact, pushing yourself into high levels of pain can actually cause your muscles to tense up even more, exactly the opposite of what you want. Foam rolling should land in that sweet spot of "hurts-so-good," not "send help immediately." Listen to your body. Breathe. Roll slowly. And if you're holding your breath and seeing stars, it’s time to ease up!

Even though it's not magic, foam rolling does have real benefits. It can temporarily improve your flexibility, speed up recovery after a workout, reduce that stiff, tight feeling we all hate, and even help you reconnect with muscles you've maybe been ignoring since that one time you tried Pilates and couldn’t walk right for a week.

So should you foam roll? Sure. Spend one to two minutes on each major muscle group, move slowly, and breathe as you roll. Target the tender zones, but don’t bully your body. If it feels good, you’re on the right track. If it feels like medieval torture, back off and come see your friendly neighborhood DPT (hi, that’s me). At the end of the day, foam rolling isn’t a magic fix, but it is a fantastic sidekick for keeping your body moving better and feeling stronger. 

Let’s chat. Book an assessment and let’s get you back to feeling good in your body.
No referrals, no waiting, just answers. Did you know that we offer free 1-on-1 injury screens? Wattage Physical Therapy will take an in depth look at your ergonomics, posture, muscle tone, muscle weaknesses, and movement patterns to create a plan for YOU. If this article intrigues you, you can directly email me, Kelsie at Kelsie@wattagept.com. I would be happy to help you start the process of living a life free from pain.