National Foam Rolling Day

Each year on May 11th, National Foam Rolling Day recognizes a therapy that’s been called the poor man’s massage. You only go to the dentist once a year, but you brush your teeth every day. While we can’t get a massage every day, foam rolling offers the next best thing! Brush your muscles daily with a foam roller.

The first foam roller was patented in the US in the 1920s, so foam rolling is nothing new. However, foam rolling is gaining momentum in recent years.

Foam rollers may offer relief from muscle aches and pain. While more research is still needed, some small studies have suggested that foam rollers may help reduce stress, relieve muscle pain related to fibromyalgia and exercise, increase range of motion, and flexibility. Foam rollers come in a variety of sizes, though they are usually cylindrical or balls. They may be smooth or have nodules for a deeper massage.

National Foam Rolling Day History

TriggerPoint, a division of Implus Corporation, founded National Foam Rolling Day to promote the benefits of foam rolling as a fitness tool. Like any other over-the-counter fitness tool, foam rolling doesn’t guarantee medical results, but by introducing mobility into tissue that’s stuck together, tense or overused, you can expect reduced tension, better mobility, and less overall stress. TriggerPoint empowers people to reach an optimal level of movement by providing the world’s best therapeutic self-care products and education.

The Registrar at National Day Calendar proclaimed the day in June of 2015 to be observed on May 11th, annually.