1. Calms Sore Muscles
20 minutes of foam rolling immediately after exercise (and then once a day for 2 days) resulted in significantly less post-workout muscle soreness than workouts without foam rolling.

2. Improves Flexibility
foam rollers boost range of motion.

3. Smoothes your skin and (helps with) cellulite
Generally speaking, cellulite happens when fat collects between surface-level fascia and collagen fibers. And your roller does massage your body’s fascia (the net of connective tissues that hold your muscles together).

Just like dry brushing, foam rolling can *temporarily* increase circulation so your skin looks plumper and smoother.

4. Reduces tension and back pain
To avoid straining your lower back, try flipping your foam roller so it’s parallel with your spine. Roll slowly from side to side to work out the knots in your lower back and shoulder blades until the tension melts away.

5. Relieves Fibromyalgia Pain
Anyone with fibromyalgia knows fibro symptoms can interfere with the simplest of daily activities. From fatigue to stiffness and pain, the reminders of the disease are constant.

A study conducted with fibromyalgia patients found that those who used a foam roller on regular basis seem to have less:

• stiffness
• exhaustion
• pain
• depression
• There haven’t been many scientific trials on how foam rolling affects people with fibromyalgia, but the preliminary research is promising.

6. Chill Factor
Tension headaches, back aches, jelly legs — tight muscles make us cranky.

Foam rolling fans say the activity helps them relax, which makes sense. It’s a form of self-massage, after all.

What to avoid foam rolling:

if you have a muscle tear
if you have a broken bone
if you’re pregnancy
If you have any kind of serious injury, it’s best to talk to your doctor before using your foam roller. 

Safety tips:
Use gentle pressure if you’re new to foam rolling.
Avoid rolling over your joints — knees, elbows, and ankles.
Use the foam roller on your legs in sections — i.e. quads first, then calves. This keeps you from rolling over the backs of your knees.