Over the last few years ive had muscle strains/tears all over my body. I have just had a year off and am starting back. I am aware that there is probably much scar tissue and adhesions in the hams, adductors, hip flexors and a calf. Other than plain old stretching what do I do? Would Art, foam roller (as praised on t-mag), or other be necessary?
Welcome to what used to be my world.
Just stretching by itself probably won’t help that much. In fact, if there are sigificant adhesions, putting too much tension adjacent to them might cause additional tearing. However, it is extremely helpful as an adjunct to manual work and as a maintenance tool after treatment.
I would definitely consult a good soft tissue person who specializes in some type of myofascial therapy. ART is the most recognized brand name but there are other similar types of therapies. I myself underwent Rolfing type work about a year ago which I found extremely helpful.
The foam rollers are a good adjunct to any treatment, and like regular stretching they’re effective for maintenance and touch up work. However, if you’re really that bad, I don’t think a foam roller is going to be that great for the initial remedial work. Just my 2 cents.