Her Active Life

Click here for the Lead Stories

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.

Comment on this post | Permalink | Share this article

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

Like what you see? Subscribe to our feed!

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