Move of the Day: Foam Rolling Your IT Band at Her Active Life

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Move of the Day: Foam Rolling Your IT Band

Posted January 5, 2008 at 10:00 AM by Lindsay Hutton

Section: Her Fitness, Calculators & Tools, Move of the Day, Training Programs, Her Health, Her Motivation

This foam roller move is an excellent form of self massage, particularly for runners, since they typically have tight IT bands. To begin, lie the foam roller on the floor and position yourself on your side, with the foam roller just below your hip on the side of your leg. Keep the leg you are lying on slightly raised off the floor and your other leg on the floor in front of you to maintain your balance. Roll the foam roller down the side of your leg to just above your knee, keeping your body weight on it. If you find a spot that is tender, keep the roller there until the pain decreases by about 75%. Repeat this move on the other leg as well.

Remember: Foam rolling can range anywhere from mildly uncomfortable to very painful, depending on how often you do it and how tight you are, and therefore should be done in moderation. The more you foam roll, the less painful it will become, so try to make it an integral part of your workout.

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Tags: balance, flexibility, foam rollers, it bands, leg stretches, runners stretches, running, self massage, self myofascial release, stretching routines, women's fitness, women's strength

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13 Responses to “Move of the Day: Foam Rolling Your IT Band” (Leave a reply)

emergency plumbers from around said:

I was just surprised as to how bad it was. When i roll my hams, glutes or calves it hurts a little but nothing compared to what i experienced with the IT band. I wonder if that’s part of the reason i have such bad leg flexability, having the IT band so tight.
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October 5, 2009 at 04:39 PM
Zuma from United States said:

this is a great exercise tool. Thanks for sharing this,
October 6, 2009 at 02:56 PM
Licensed Massage Therapist Ny from United States said:

I didn’t know you can perform a self massage using rollers. I’ll try this at home. Thanks.
October 21, 2009 at 04:24 PM
Online Pharmacy from Syracuse, New York, USA. said:

I usually instruct my people to foam roll at least 3 times a week. You are running, so I would do it after each run, but you may find it beneficial to do it before as well. I would roll the calves everyday if I were you, along with your hamstrings and hip flexors.
November 5, 2009 at 12:26 PM
civil rights law firm from United States said:

This is a great form of exercise. It helps improve your flexibility and strengthens your muscles.
December 30, 2009 at 11:40 AM

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