Recovery Tools For Pain

In the world of physical therapy and fitness, recovery tools like foam rollers, lacrosse balls, and massage guns are gaining popularity. While these tools are quick ways to relieve muscle soreness, increase range of motion, and reduce pain, they are not long term solutions. Using these tools can be very effective immediately during and after using the tool but it's important to understand that they aren’t magic solutions that will heal injury. In fact, using recovery tools alone without addressing underlying issues is like applying a band-aid rather than fully treating an injury. It is important to recognize that true healing will come from active intervention and that recovery tools should be used as a stepping stone to allow active intervention to be performed with increased comfort. At Conquer Movement, we will absolutely aim to make you comfortable before performing active interventions, while we educate you along the way about how true healing occurs!

Focus on Active Solutions Rather than Passive Solutions 

Recovery tools should be seen as a passive or temporary solution. They are an amazing tool to increase comfort with the real active solutions but should not be seen as a true method of promoting tissue healing. Passive solutions are methods where you aren’t actively engaging or contracting your muscles, for example, simply lying on a foam roller or holding a static stretch. While passive approaches can temporarily relieve tension, they cannot address the root cause of muscle tightness or pain. 

Active motion, on the other hand, involves actively engaging and contracting muscles. This approach can truly create mechanical changes in your body's structure. By actively moving into and out of positions of tension, we are no longer temporarily increasing tissue extensibility but instead truly lengthening that tissue. One example I like to use is a scenario with 2 identical patients who both presented with hamstring tightness where one performs a toe touch stretch and the other was loaded with a heavy slow eccentric romanian deadlift. You may see both increase their hamstring length, but the person who performed the static stretch will likely be tight again as soon as they get home and also when they return to their next PT visit and the person who performed the slow RDL will have improved length when measured over the course of multiple physical therapy sessions. At Conquer Movement, we emphasize active solutions because they are the true long term solutions that help build resilience and address the root issues causing your pain or restriction.

Why Static Stretching Isn’t Always Effective for Long Term Muscle Lengthening

Static stretching, where you hold a position and feel a stretch, is often seen as the go to way to increase flexibility. However, when we simply stretch a muscle without any active engagement, we’re not always making it longer. Often, we’re just increasing the muscle's tolerance to stretch. This is why static stretching might feel effective in the moment, but its effects are often temporary, with little to no long term lengthening of the muscle.

A more effective method for truly muscles involves engaging them actively. You can still use tools such as a lacrosse ball or foam roller with a focus on active contraction. By contracting a muscle against the tool or “pinning” it in a certain position and moving the limb, you’re sending signals to the mechanoreceptors within that muscle that encourage genuine lengthening and telling your brain and central nervous system that it is safe to contract and lengthen under the load of the object. This will translate to other loaded movements like lifting weights. While these techniques can produce a more lasting change than using the recovery tools passively, it is still important to follow up with strengthening and stability movements to allow your body to adapt to the newly gained range of motion. The follow up movement is arguably more important than the passive use of a tool or stretch because it is what solidifies any improvements.

Recovery Tools are a Great Place to Start, but not the Final Solution

There’s no question that recovery tools can feel great and often provide instant relief. They’re a fantastic first step, especially if you’re experiencing pain or tightness. Foam rollers and lacrosse balls can help reduce pain momentarily and are a great way to send an influx of blood flow once released. However, while they may help convince your brain that you’re in less pain, these tools aren’t truly addressing the underlying causes of your pain or restriction. 

Think of recovery tools as a warm-up for your warm-up. They set the stage for more effective, targeted exercises that will address the actual deficits in strength, flexibility, or mobility that may be causing pain. For example, using a foam roller can ease muscle soreness and allow you to perform follow-up exercises with less discomfort, helping you focus on proper form and technique. But without that follow-up, you’re not creating lasting change. 

Using Recovery Tools to Enhance Your Rehab Exercises 

When used correctly, recovery tools can serve as a precursor to the exercises that will build your strength, stability, and range of motion. They reduce pain and tension, making your muscles more receptive to the more active, corrective exercises that follow. For example, if you have tightness in your hip, you might start by using a lacrosse ball to release the tension. Then, you’d move on to exercises that strengthen and lengthen your hip muscles through active engagement, locking in your new range of motion.

To achieve long-term relief and prevent further issues, we need to think of recovery tools as part of a larger, active approach to physical therapy. Relying on them alone is like relying on painkillers without treating the actual injury. I will never discourage someone from using a recovery tool if it will make the follow up exercises more comfortable and thus more effective. In fact, I often use recovery tools in session with my patients for that exact reason. I always make sure that the patient understands the purpose of why we are using the tool and that if used alone the tool is largely ineffective. With that being said, sometimes it just feels nice to perform a passive solution. I believe that as long as it is understood that it is just being done to feel good and will not actually create lasting change, that is perfectly acceptable. 

Recovery Tools Are Just the Beginning of a Well Rounded Rehab Plan 

Recovery tools have their place in the world of physical therapy, but they’re just one part of a larger strategy. While foam rollers and lacrosse balls can make you feel better temporarily, they don’t address the root causes of muscle tightness or discomfort. True recovery and improvement come from a blend of active solutions, where you engage and strengthen muscles to create lasting change. 

By using recovery tools as a stepping stone and following up with exercises that address underlying deficits, you’re taking a proactive approach to your health. So, the next time you reach for a foam roller or lacrosse ball, remember that they’re just the first step in your journey to stronger, healthier movement. If you are looking to learn more about how to properly utilize recovery tools, schedule a free discovery call with one of our doctors.

Dr. Kylie Miller

Performance Physical Therapist

Wilmington, NC

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