Happiness is a foam roller. Or is it?

We’ve all seen people use those blue tubes of torture in the gym. You can roll your calves, you can roll your ITB (side of the thigh), hell, you can even roll your head – if you want to.  But is the torture of rolling really worth the pain?

Flexibility:

Foam rolling and static stretching increase flexibility above either stretching or rolling in isolation (1, 2).  Additionally, it has also been shown that foam rolling increases flexibility, without impairing muscle force (3). This all sounds great and I bet you’re all about to rush out and buy a foam roller. Unfortunately, it appears that these changes in flexibility last no more than ten minutes(1)! Yikes.

Performance:

Foam rolling immediately after exercise reduces post-exercise muscular soreness (DOMS) and improves performance in training (sprint time, endurance and power) in the days following (4).  Another study, found similar results but also noted changes in vertical leap in the days following rolling (5). Additionally, foam rolling might reduce fatigue after exercise (6).

Is it healthful:

Flexibility: At roughly AU$20 a roller, you’re paying a fair bit for a 10 minute change in flexibility. Although, if flexibility is important to your sport of choice, pre-game rolling might be worth your while.

Our verdict: Slightly healthful.

Sports performance: Foam rolling after exercise is likely to reduce soreness in the following days and will improve short term performance. This might lead to long-term improvements.  In this case, we feel the $20 is warranted.

 Our verdict: Moderately healthful. 

I hope this has been healthful!

Kinesiology (K) tape: krap or kritical?

Over the past few years, we have seen kinesiology (K) tape bolstered to the buttocks of volleyballs players, trussed to the thighs of race horses and fixed to the faces of Youtube sensations.  K tape is proposed to lift up the skin, which is thought to enable the lymphatic system and blood to flow more smoothly underneath.  The theory sounds reasonable, but is it fact or unnecessary skin friction?

Credit: https://www.k-active.com/typo3temp/_processed_/csm_Pferdetaping_01_5d6904966f.jpg

Pain relief/rehabilitation:

Here’s the good news: K tape is better than minimal intervention – doing next to nothing.  But the good news ends there, K tape fanatics, as it is no better than other treatment approaches to musculoskeletal pain. This includes treatments like massage and joint mobilisation (1). In fact a separate, good quality study reported K taping to be no better than sham taping (putting on normal tape without tension), or normal, rigid taping (the bad looking brown stuff we used to use) for improving pain and several measures of athletic performance (2).

Credit: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/6e/fd/ce/6efdce5cdc36ffe28e31402ed49c611c.jpg

Injury prevention:

Okay, it’s not the best solution to your problem, but maybe it will stop a problem from developing better than other products. Maybe not!  A systematic review – a study that pools together the results of several other studies – found K taping to be no better than other forms of taping in injury prevention (3).

Is it healthful:

Yes.  Well, it’s better than nothing at preventing injury and decreasing pain once an injury has been sustained. However, it’s no better than normal brown tape. Rigid brown tape costs AU$7 a roll whereas an equivalent roll of K tape will set you back a whopping AU$95 a roll. You decide!

Our verdict: Slightly healthy, but a tremendous rip off! 

I hope this post has been healthful.

Are minimalist shoes bad news?

Disclaimer: I was massive barefoot running skeptic, prior to writing this review. 

The story goes that in the 1960 Olympic marathon Abebe Bikila of Ethiopia took home the gold medal in nothing but barefeet.  Rather than considering Abebe’s training regime, environmental conditions (having to run everywhere) and natural ability, barefoot runners put his victory down to….well, his barefeet.  So are barefoot running and minimalist shoes all they’re cracked up to be?  Or are you wearing gloves on your feet for no reason.

Courtesy: http://sw1gym.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/barefoot_running_480_18ec9t1-18ec9t4.jpg

Running performance:

Running barefoot or in minimalist shoes has a small, beneficial effect on running efficiency and the metabolic cost (how much fuel we burn) of running when compared to heavier shoes (1). It may also slightly reduce the amount of oxygen we use to run (2).

Injury prevention:

Barefoot running appears to position the hips and knees in a more optimal position, to prevent hip and knee injuries (3, 4, 5) . It also, may decrease the forces placed through the lower limbs (6). However, this may come at the cost of the ankle, with barefoot running causing increased side to side ankle movement and the risk of developing achilles tendinopathy (3).

There are many anecdotal reports of people moving from shod (shoed) running to barefoot and suffering stress fractures.  In most of these cases individuals have transferred suddenly and completely from shod to barefoot running and have also been running A LOT.  So if you’re planning to this, proceed with caution.

Is it healthful: 

Running performance: At a similar price to heavier runners, barefoot runners may offer a very minor improvement in performance immediately and perhaps with training over time. Considering the similar costs, I’d be giving the minimalist shoes a go.

Our verdict: Moderately healthful. 

Injury prevention: If slowly transitioned in to, the improvements in knee and hip mechanics may reduce such injuries.

Our verdict: Moderately healthful. 

I hope this review has been healthful.

Pilates: are you wasting your money?

It’s Saturday morning.  As the scent of caffeine fills your nostrils and drags you from your bed to your nearest cafe in a zombified state, your senses are enlightened. Fluorescent free runs, tantalisingly tight tights and Lululemon logos fill your eyes, but what on earth are these people cueing up for?  The answer, Pilates.

Used by physiotherapists, dancers, gyms and the obvious, Pilates studios, the popularity of Pilates has reached pandemic proportions. So is Pilates just overpriced weight training for the young and trendy, or is it the panacea its proponents claim it to be?

Pilates for back pain:

Many (including health professionals) believe that Pilates and core strengthening are the only solution to crippling low back pain.  If this is you, it might be time to rethink this mantra.

Three great quality studies tell us that Pilates is better than rest in the short term, but is no more effective than normal gym based strengthening exercises at any time (1, 2, 3). Several other poorer quality studies have found general slight positive effects on back pain, but conclusive evidence is lacking (4, 5, 6). While two other studies have demonstrated that Pilates is better than nothing and also better than massage therapy (7, 8).

So what does this tell us?  Simply put, Pilates is probably better than massage or doing nothing, but no better than performing normal strengthening exercises in the gym.

Pilates for health, wellbeing, fitness: 

While Pilates may not be the most money efficient solution to your back problem, surely it’s worth it for the fitness benefits?

Sadly, no! Yes, Pilates improves body composition, specifically improvements in: balance, skin fold testing (fat:muscle measurement), lean muscle mass, body fat mass and flexibility have been reported (9, 10, 11). However, such improvements have been reported multiple times with traditional resistance training.  So this again indicates that yes, Pilates works, but it is really no better than going to your local gym.

Is it healthful:

Back pain: Clinical Pilates costs roughly AU$40 per class, which is AU$4160 per year if you go twice a week.  A gym membership costs AU$600-900 per year offering similar effects. Do the math.

Our rating: Moderately healthful, but no better than the gym.

Fitness, health, wellbeing: Fitness Pilates costs AU$20 per class, or roughly $2000 a year, whereas a gym membership costs between AU$600-900, offering similar benefits.  Again, the math, do it.

Our rating: Moderately healthful, but no better than the gym.

I hope this has been healthful.