The kitchen may seem like an unlikely place in which one can heal ones running injuries, but it holds one of the most potent tools for easing tired, sore and tight muscles. The tool i’m talking about is the rolling pin. My patients are probably pretty sick of me talking about how useful the pin is! But it really helps.
It works in a similar way to the foam roller, (another indispensable tool in the runners toolkit) by rolling over the muscles with a certain amount of pressure, to warm them up, improve circulation, assist drainage of lactic acid and other ‘waste products’, and to iron out those nasty painful knots that build up in a lot of the muscles used for running.
Unlike the foam roller, however, the rolling pin can be used without having to dive onto the floor, which can be difficult if you feel the need to massage a muscle while you’re at work! It is also much more portable, although i have never tried to get one through customs at the airport on my way to a marathon!
The rolling pin i recommend is one which has a centre which rolls independently of the handles, so that it is easier to roll over the skin.
The pin works best for the hamstrings, quadriceps, calves and the ITB (iliotibial band), muscles which, when tight, contribute a lot to running injuries such as runners knee pain, hip pain, achilles pain in runners, and foot pain in runners.
So the best way to use the rolling pin is to roll up and down the muscle with as much pressure as you feel comfortable with, focussing on the isolated parts of the muscle that are particularly tight (the knots). These respond really well to some good pressure with the rolling pin. Roll each muscle for about a minute.
I’d love to hear about your experiences with the rolling pin, so please do post comments.
Happy rolling!
Gavin
Hi there. I have recently been doing al lot of running, around 40hrs a week. and I am getting injured quite regularly. I am opting to rest and stretch but desperately want to keep my fitness up as I’ve worked so hard.
What would you recommend for shin splints?
I am currently using kettle bell training and spinning on the bike at the gym
Kind Regards
Monique