LSM Clinic

what else can foam rolling help with?

Foam rolling isn’t only about dealing with a tight muscle.

It can also help you slow down, notice what an area feels like and become more aware of where your body is holding tension.

Used gently, it can be a useful part of your wider approach to looking after your knees and the muscles around them.

As always, the aim isn’t to make it hurt. It’s to work at a level that feels manageable and useful for you.

Foam Rolling Workshop:
https://lsmclinic.co.uk/runners-resource-centre/

Join the Knee Challenge:
https://lsmclinic.co.uk/knee-challenge-signup/

Welcome to Week 2 of the Knee Challenge.

This week we’re looking at foam rolling — how to do it, why it shouldn’t be painful, why you don’t need to do it every day, and how to find an area to work on and allow it to relax.

We’ll be exploring all of that throughout the week, so keep an eye out for the next video.

And if you haven’t joined the Knee Challenge yet, you can still sign up. It’s a month of simple exercises designed to help your knees feel better and give them some attention before problems start — or if they’re already bothering you.

https://lsmclinic.co.uk/knee-challenge-signup/

https://lsmclinic.co.uk/runners-resource-centre/

Why do your muscles feel tighter when you’re in pain?

Pain can change the way your body responds.

When something hurts, your muscles can tighten as part of a protective response. That can make an area feel stiffer, more restricted or harder to move comfortably.

Foam rolling can sometimes help by giving you a gentle way to work with that tension, rather than trying to force your way through it.

The important thing is to stay within a comfortable level of pressure and let the body settle.

Foam Rolling Workshop:
https://lsmclinic.co.uk/runners-resource-centre/

Join the Knee Challenge:
https://lsmclinic.co.uk/knee-challenge-signup/

Foam rolling isn’t about rushing backwards and forwards over a sore area.

When you find a spot that feels tight or uncomfortable, slow things down. Stay there, keep the pressure manageable and give the muscle a chance to relax rather than immediately moving on.

The aim is to work with your body, not battle against it.

That’s the focus of this part of Week 2 of the Knee Challenge.

Foam Rolling Workshop:
https://lsmclinic.co.uk/runners-resource-centre/

Join the Knee Challenge:
https://lsmclinic.co.uk/knee-challenge-signup/

Foam rolling doesn’t need to hurt to be effective.

The aim isn’t to press as hard as you can or grit your teeth through it. Start gently, find a level of pressure that feels manageable, and give your body time to relax rather than fighting against the roller.

More pressure isn’t automatically better. What matters is working at a level that allows you to stay relaxed and comfortable enough for the area to settle.

That’s what we’re exploring in this part of Week 2 of the Knee Challenge.

Foam Rolling Workshop:
https://lsmclinic.co.uk/runners-resource-centre/

Join the Knee Challenge:
https://lsmclinic.co.uk/knee-challenge-signup/

A knee lift involves more than the knee alone.

The muscles around your hip, thigh and trunk may all contribute to keeping the movement controlled and your body stable.

As you practise, notice what switches on, what stays relaxed and whether one side feels different from the other.

The exercise is not just about lifting your leg. It is also an opportunity to learn how your body works together.

https://lsmclinic.co.uk/knee-challenge-signup/

When you perform an exercise, the target muscle is rarely the only thing working.

Other muscles may help, your body may shift position or you may unconsciously compensate to make the movement easier.

That is why it is useful to pause and ask: what else can I feel activating?

There is not always a problem with other muscles contributing, but noticing what is happening gives us useful information.

https://lsmclinic.co.uk/knee-challenge-signup/

Why practise knee lifts?

They give us a simple way to explore muscle recruitment: which muscles your body chooses to use to create and control a movement.

By slowing the exercise down, we can notice whether the intended muscles are contributing or whether another area is taking over.

That information can help us choose exercises that are more appropriate for your individual movement patterns.

https://lsmclinic.co.uk/knee-challenge-signup/

What do we mean when we talk about “activating” a muscle?

It means encouraging a particular muscle to switch on and contribute to a movement.

That does not necessarily mean squeezing as hard as possible. It is about creating the movement with control and becoming more aware of which part of your body is working.

Learning to recognise that feeling can help you perform exercises more effectively.

https://lsmclinic.co.uk/knee-challenge-signup/

The next exercise is a knee lift.

As you lift the leg, pay attention to more than simply how high the knee travels. Notice whether your body leans, your pelvis moves or other muscles try to take over.

Keep the movement controlled and work within a comfortable range.

The goal is to understand how your body performs the movement, not to rush through as many repetitions as possible.

https://lsmclinic.co.uk/knee-challenge-signup/