Foam roller exercises for legs and upper back

A foam roller is a firm cylinder you lie or sit on, using your own body weight to press slowly along a muscle. Many people find it feels good after a run, a long day on their feet or a stiff morning, in the same way a slow stretch can. It pairs naturally with a short yoga cool-down.

The eight foam roller exercises below are deliberately conservative. They stay on the large muscles of the legs, hips and upper back, and they skip the places a roller does not belong. About ten minutes is enough.

Who should check with a doctor before foam rolling?

See a doctor or physiotherapist before rolling if you:

• have, or have had, a blood clot, or take blood-thinning medicine;
• have osteoporosis, or have been told your bones are fragile;
• have a recent injury, bruise, swelling, open wound or varicose veins in the area;
• are pregnant (ask your OB or midwife first);
• feel numbness, tingling or pain travelling down an arm or leg.

Where should you not use a foam roller?

Do not roll directly on the neck, the lower back, the front of the hip, the backs of the knees, or over any joint or bony point such as the knee cap, ankle bone or shin bone. Keep the roller on muscle. For the neck, the slow neck stretches with chin tucks are a gentler choice, and for the lower back, the lying-down lower back stretches do the job without pressure on the spine.

How long should you foam roll each area?

Roll each area for 30 to 60 seconds, moving slowly, a few centimetres with each breath. Breathe out as you sink a little more weight into the roller. Pressure should be moderate: strong but tolerable, with the muscle soft and the breath easy.

The routine: eight foam roller exercises

1. Calves, 30 to 60 seconds each leg. Sit with the roller under the right calf, hands behind you on the floor. Lift the hips a little and roll slowly from just below the knee to just above the ankle. Cross the left leg over the right for more pressure. Follow with a calf stretch at a wall.
2. Hamstrings, 30 to 60 seconds each leg. Move the roller under the backs of the thighs. Roll from above the knee to just below the sit bones, keeping the backs of the knees off the roller.
3. Glutes, 30 to 60 seconds each side. Sit on the roller, cross the right ankle over the left knee, and lean a little towards the right hip. Roll in small movements over the buttock. The glute stretches lying down and seated make a good follow-on.
4. Quads, 30 to 60 seconds each leg. Lie face down on the forearms, roller under the front of the thighs. Roll from just above the knee cap to just below the hip bones, with the belly lightly drawn in so the lower back stays long. Finish with a quad stretch, standing or lying.
5. Inner thighs, 30 seconds each side. Lying face down on the forearms, bend the right knee out to the side and rest the inner thigh on a roller set lengthwise. Roll a short way, staying on the soft muscle.
6. Outer thigh, gently, 30 seconds each side. Lie on your right side with the roller under the outer thigh, the left foot on the floor in front to take most of the weight. Roll slowly and lightly between hip and knee. Skip it if it feels like too much.
7. Upper back, 30 to 60 seconds. Sit in front of the roller, then lie back with it under the shoulder blades, hands behind the head to support the neck, knees bent and hips down. Lift the hips slightly and roll from the tops of the shoulders to the bottom of the shoulder blades. Stop before the roller reaches the lower ribs and the lower back.
8. Lengthwise chest opener, 1 to 2 minutes. Lay the roller along the spine so that it supports the head and the tailbone, knees bent, feet flat. Let the arms open out to the sides, palms up, and breathe. It is a supported cousin of Fish Pose. Roll off to the side to come out.

How do you choose a foam roller?

If you only buy one, a firm, smooth roller of medium length covers every move above. In a humid home, closed-cell foam is easier to keep clean than anything fabric-covered: wipe it after use and let it dry standing up, out of direct sun, so it does not sweat against the floor. A long roller stores neatly upright in a corner or behind a door.

Should you foam roll before or after exercise?

Either, used differently. Before a run or a class, roll briefly, around 20 to 30 seconds per area, then move into a proper warm-up. The warm-up exercises before you train follow on well. After exercise or at the end of the day, take the slower 30 to 60 seconds per area described above and pair it with stretching.

How often can you foam roll?

A few times a week suits most people, and a light daily roll is fine if nothing feels bruised the next day. If an area still feels tender to the touch a day later, you pressed too hard; give it a rest and use less weight next time.

A ten-minute evening routine

1. Calves, 45 seconds each leg.
2. Hamstrings, 45 seconds each leg.
3. Glutes, 45 seconds each side.
4. Quads, 45 seconds each leg.
5. Upper back, one minute.
6. Lengthwise chest opener, two minutes.

Common mistakes

• Rolling too fast. Quick back-and-forth rolling is hard to relax into. Slow down.
• Too much pressure. If you are bracing, ease off.
• Rolling the lower back or neck. Keep the roller on the upper back and the big leg and hip muscles.

Make it easier or harder

Easier: support more weight with your hands and feet, use a softer roller or a rolled yoga mat, or roll against a wall while standing for the calves and upper back.

Harder: stack one leg on the other for the calves and hamstrings, as long as the breath stays slow.

What should you do after foam rolling?

Move or stretch. A few minutes of cool down stretches for after a workout, or the slow joint circles in mobility exercises, make good partners. On strength days, the hip exercises with bridges and balances round out the week.