Foam Rolling

My lower back has gotten all knotted up from months of weight lifting without stretching very well at all. I got a massage last night to clear up the knots, but I’m thinking a better solution will be foam rolling. I’ve heard a lot about it and it seems great, does anyone here have any experience with it?

Foam rolling is good but I don’t think you want to do it with your lower back (lumbar region). You want to avoid flexion of that area especially if it is already in pain.

Check out this link (http://www.sportsrehabexpert.com/public/195.cfm…) and listen to Dr. Stuart McGill who is a well-known back doctor that works with athletes. Also check out http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/psychosocial/bac…. Most of this is prevention but I think you can carefully do some of the exercises to slowly get “back in shape”.

I use a foam roller and it’s been miraculous for other body parts (I’ve been lucky to avoid back pain for many years now). I noticed quickly that the book I bought conspicuously left out a lower back “exercise”, but I’ve seen that use listed/illustrated on a reputable web site.
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So, after reminding you that I am not a doctor and haven’t even seen any on tv lately, I’ll mention that I do use it on my lower back. I hold myself up with my hands and feet so I can control the amount of pressure, and I make sure to keep my lower back straight as I gently roll. Some people will cross their arms over their chest and do basically the same thing, but I prefer my way because, again, I can better control the amount of pressure.

I’ve yet to buy a foam roller, but I have lots of experience with lower back pain, and other pain for that matter. ;)
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Often what works for one person does not work for another, so you might need to gain some insight into your own problems, and kind of get experience in treating your particular problem. Even a physiotherapist might not find what is wrong or be able to treat it properly, you in the end might be the one to find the solution because you can feel the pain and locate it better and so on. I have had to solve most of my pain issues myself, sadly. But I have managed it some how.
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So try foam rolling, but just be careful. It might work, it might not, it might even make it worse. But you will probably never know unless you experiment, with caution though.

Thanks for the help all. I didn’t mean that I wanted to start foam rolling just on my lower back, I just think it would be good to work out all the kinks in my muscles if at all possible.

Right now the pain feels more like a bruising pain than a muscle strain. Bending or squatting doesn’t hurt it more, it’s more like when something is pressed against the muscle it hurts. I’m going to skip the gym tonight and hope the rest today and tomorrow fixes things!

Right now the pain feels more like a bruising pain than a muscle strain.

How long ago did you get the massage? I’m guessing that that soreness is from that. Be sure to drink plenty of water. :)
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I’ll then say that the foam roller is great… but certainly not a replacement for a trained, skilled masseuse. I see my masseuse once every two months and use the roller in between.

Yeah I just got the massage last night after work, and I don’t think sitting in an office chair all day today is helping haha. I have to get up constantly to stretch it out. It was my first time getting a massage, so there was probably loads of crap that needed to get worked out. Your idea of seeing a masseuse every two months sounds good to me, I’ll try that!

I really see now how there’s more to taking care of your muscles & body than just lifting weights and eating healthy. I’m going to work on my flexibility & stretching more now.

Getting a massage, especially if by a good tech, will be far better than foam rolling. But, you probably can’t get a good massage every day. Thats where foam rolling is so nice.