Next use a foam roll to release the calf. Sit on the floor with the foam roll just underneath the Achilles tendon. Take the weight of your body into your hands and slowly roll up the calf, taking time to pause on any sore spots for 8-10 seconds. Once you have reached the back of the knee you have performed one sweep. Go back to the start position on the Achilles tendon and perform 2 more sweeps. Never roll from the knees down to the ankle as this may damage blood and lymph vessels. After you have done foam roll releases do eccentric exercises on the calf to strengthen the Achilles tendon.
Football
Football is a very hip flexor / knee extensor dominant sport with all the kicking that is performed. This can lead to knee pain, oftentimes also called patella femoral joint pain.
First of all release the tensor fascia latae (TFL) with a tennis ball or prickle ball. Put your hands in your trouser pockets and they will be over the TFL. Simply place the tennis ball in this position and lie on top of the ball on the floor to find the sore spots. There are usually two or three sore spots in this small muscle and simply let your body weight sink in to the ball for about 8-10 seconds on each spot.
Next perform foam roll release on the quads. Start by lying face down in a plank position over a foam roll with the roll just above your knee caps. Slowly roll up the quads taking time to pause on any sore spots for 8-10 seconds, when your reach the hips you have completed one sweep, now go back to the start position of just above the knees and perform two more sweeps. Never roll from the hips down to the knees as this may damage blood and lymph vessels.
Footballers with knee pain have also been shown to have weak glutes, especially the gluteus medius so strengthening this area also helps prevent knee pain.
Weight training
Most men training in the gym train the mirror muscle such as the pecs and lats that give you the manly chest and V cut to the waist, however this can cause faulty posture, shoulder and neck pain. Roam roll releasing the lats and mobilising the thoracic spine are good releases to manage this.
Start by mobilising the joints in the thoracic spine. Place the foam roll on the floor and lie on top of the roll with it positioned on the shoulder blades, place your hands behind your head, inhale and extend back over the roll. Breathe out and crunch back up to the start position maintaining contact with the roll. Do another three or four reps in this position. Move yourself slightly up or down the roll and repeat so your can mobilise some more segments of the thoracic spine. You may feel some clunks when you do this but don’t be alarmed as this is just the joints cavitating, much like what happens when a manual therapists manipulates your back.
Next foam roll release the lats. Lie sideways over a foam roll with it positioned where your lats start midway between the hips and the arm pit. Slowly roll up the lats and into the armpit taking time to pause on any sore spots for 8-10 seconds. When you reach the armpit this is one sweep. Now go back to the start position and perform two more sweeps, then switch sides. Strengthening the back muscles and rotator cuff is useful to help prevent this neck and shoulder pain.
Racket sports
There is lots of lunging and bending in sports such as squash, tennis and badminton which can create soreness in the low back and glutes. Two good release techniques are to use a tennis ball or prickle ball to trigger point the qudratus lumburum (QL) in the low back and then use the foam roll to release the glutes.
Put your hands in your low back either side of the spine and you will have found the QL’s. Simply place the tennis ball on the floor and lie on top of the ball with it in the low back to one side of the spine. There are usually two or three sore spots in this small muscle and simply let your body weight sink in to the ball for about 8-10 seconds on each spot. Then switch sides and release the other QL.
Next perform foam roll release on the glutes. Start by sitting one butt cheek down on a foam roll with the roll positioned just off the sacrum. Place that same ankle on the opposite knee to get a stretch in the glutes and slowly roll over the glutes taking time to pause on any sore spots for 8-10 seconds, when your reach the glute insertion on the thigh you have completed one sweep, now go back to the start position of just off the sacrum and perform two more sweeps. Repeat on the other glute.
Strengthening the low back and glutes with exercises such as split squats, lunges and glute ham raise can strengthen this area.