Post Race Muscle Relief

We hosted the 6th annual Girlfriends Half Marathon yesterday where close to 3,000 women ran 13.1 miles to raise money for breast cancer and other local charities.  What an amazing and inspirational day and I feel great…well except I am a little tight.  I know that there were LOTS of half marathons this past weekend all across the country and I bet I am not the only one that is feeling a little stiff and tight.

Let me help you!  Have you ever tried using a foam roller to stretch and release muscle aches and pains?  Self-myofascial release using a foam roller is a perfect way to help release tight areas for runners and athletes of all kinds!

Here are my favorite myofascial release techniques:

IT band: Lie on your right side supported by your right elbow and maintain your head in neutral and ears aligned with shoulders. Place the roller under your right thigh and place your left leg over and in front of your right leg. Roll just below hip joint down the lateral thigh to the knee.

Piriformis/glutes: Sit on the full roller and cross your right ankle over your left knee. Roll on the right hip area while pulling the right knee toward the opposite shoulder to increase the stretch. To massage the glutes, sit on the roller with your feet and hands in front of the roller and push roller backward with your buttocks.

Quadriceps:Lie on your belly with the foam roller above your knees and elbows bent with forearms touching the floor. Pull your abdominals in and tighten your glutes to help prevent your back from sagging. Roll from the pelvic bone to the knee, emphasizing the front and lateral thigh.

For more detail and general guidelines when performing these techniques please read my recent article in the Columbian “Releasing Muscle Aches, Pains”

To read more about the Girlfriends Half Marathon also check out this article in the Columbian: Girlfriends Run Downtown For a Day

Not a runner?  The stretches I reviewed above are good for anyone with tight legs, but if you are a cyclist these stretches and exercises might help you even more!

Yours in Health, Fitness & Business,
Sherri McMillan

 

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