HEALTH A ND FITNESS
Rolling for Recovery BY MELISSA BAUDO MARCHETTI, PT, DPT, SCS, MTC
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Each muscle resemhe best kept secret to bles a rubber band; the maximizing your perforThe foam roller is one of the farther you stretch it, mance and keeping you most effective the farther it will launch active is simple: “Recover better.” all-around, selfwhen you let it go. If you The use of a simple piece of foam maintenance can increase the elasticcan help you optimize recovery, tools you will find ity in the muscle by imwhich is ideal for tennis players proving your flexibility, of all levels and ages. the result will be increased power and Why foam rolling? Tennis may lead to increased tension/stiffness in your improved performance. The foam roller is one of the most efmuscles and joints, which can alter joint motion and lead to poor movement pat- fective all-around, self-maintenance tools terns, a faster rate of fatigue, and injury. you will find, as it releases chronic musSelf-massage exercises (self-myofascial cular tension and pain (caused by playing release) on this simple piece of foam can tennis). It is simple to use; your own body immediately reduce soft-tissue weight massages away restrictions to nortension and speed mal soft-tissue extensibility. Whatever your athletic level or age, up the recovery process. foam rolling should be an integral part of
your daily routine. It is one of the easiest and most inexpensive ways to improve recovery, alleviate aches and pains, and improve flexibility. Use the roller directly after tennis or workout (prior to your cool-down stretching) and remember that areas that hurt need more attention. A quicker recovery can help keep you active and translates to a better performance the next time you play. Dr. Baudo Marchetti is an instructor at Emory University and a board-certified sports clinical specialist at One on One Physical Therapy, a multidisciplinary private practice in Atlanta. She also worked five years as a sports physiotherapist for the WTA Tour. Learn more by visiting www.onetherapy.com or email melissa@ onetherapy.com.
Foam rolling: • prevents joint stiffness and possibly reduces injury risk; • increases flexibility and joint range of motion and function; • enhances the recovery process; and • is portable, lightweight and easy to travel with.
*Reprinted from the Sept/Oct 2018 issue of Net News. 56
NETNEWS JULY/AUGUST 2020
