Everyone had a foam roller because we all wanted to roll away our aching backs and slumped shoulders. But what many of us didn’t know then is that foam rolling is a form of myofascial release.
Ahead, we explore what this massage actually is and if it actually works.
Think back to a few years ago …
Made up of collagen, elastin, and reticulin, fascia is like a cobweb that connects, protects, and organizes our insides. Fascia is 70% water and 30% fiber; it helps hydrate our body systems and irrigate toxins out of our lymphatic system.
If we don’t take care of our fascia, we risk chronic pain and inflammation that can lead to less mobility which creates an ongoing cycle of pain and decreased mobility. No one wants to become that granny hunched over a walker with tennis balls on the bottom!
According to Ashley Black, a fascia pioneer and the founder of the FasciaBlaster Collection, the root cause of cellulite is unhealthy, thickened fascia. Black believes this same thickened fascia can cause wrinkles. Repetitive face movements like squinting, stress, and even injections and fillers can create issues with fascia that can turn into wrinkles.
Break out your foam roller again because it does help release fascia adhesions, but regular movement and stretching as well as keeping an eye on good posture and a healthy diet are basics to do on the daily. Deep tissue massage is another wonderful way to loosen stuck fascia.
Since I’m an old-school “no pain, no gain” kind of Korean, I used Black’s FasciaBlaster on my stomach, love handles, bra overhang and thighs. It hurt, but in a way that makes you think it’s working, and the skin does turn red like you’ve been smacked. The days after I blasted, my stomach would feel sore, almost like I’d done ab exercises.
The results were shocking and immediate. My stomach and waist looked and felt tighter; my skin felt thicker and smoother and my love handles were a little less handle-y. My thighs, which aren’t my biggest problem area, also looked leaner. And this was after a session or two.