Buy a Massage at Your Hardware Store

Massage in Disguise

Nope, not kidding.  Your local home improvement store that claims to have everything may actually be on to something.  I bought one at the nearby Lowe's this past fall.  But what did I really buy?  I bought a two foot long, six inch diameter PVC pipe, which is a good substitute for a foam roller, which is the "cheapest massage on the market."  While a deep tissue massage is the ultimate in sports rejuvenation, most people don't have the money to do that on a regular basis, nor do they have a masseuse available at their beck and call.

Foam rolling, which is called myofascial release in medical terms, is a way to stretch the fascia, which is a tissue surrounding the muscles.  One way of doing this is by applying pressure to the muscles by using a foam roller.  You simply position your leg, hip, back, etc. over the roller and slowly roll back and forth while keeping your breath steady.  Doing so releases tension and soreness in the muscles, increases blood flow, and increases range of motion.  If you've got a really sore spot on your leg, you can hold that spot on top of the roller for 10 or more seconds for extra pressure.  Most foam rollers come with DVDs that describe some of the numerous movements that are possible.

Now back to the whole PVC pipe thing.  Back in high school my parents got me a generic foam roller, which will run you around $15-20 (the pipe I bought was even cheaper).  It served me well for several years, but as you can see below, it has gotten squished from so much use.  It has also gotten to the point where the foam isn't firm enough to provide the right amount of pressure.  Over the summer I became intrigued when I noticed a nearby gym that had both foam rollers and PVC pipes.  I learned that after one's muscles have gotten accustomed to the pressure after a while, they can "graduate" to a PVC pipe for even deeper tissue therapy.  Believe me, it will hurt at first (but it's a good hurt!), so start with a foam roller before you attempt a hard pipe.

A little squished in the middle

It's getting to be that time of year again.  You're sore.  You're injured.  You're mentally and physically fatigued.  But you're still got about a month left to go in the season.  Foam rolling is a technique that will keep your muscles fresh and loose.  At first I only did it the night before a match or on a recovery day, but now I like to do it anytime my muscles feel sore.  The DVD that came with my first foam roller wasn't joking when it said it will make your muscles feel young again; I definitely felt a new pep in my step walking up the stairs after using it for the first time.

Get rolling,
Jeff

P.S.  If you don't mind paying $40, www.tptherapy.com has a great foam roller called The Grid that will hold up well (won't get squished) and is compact and convenient for travel.  But remember, that PVC pipe cost me less than $15!