The Facet joints are located at the back on either side of the spinal column, between the discs and the vertebral bodies. Each vertebra has bony prominences on each side that form a facet joint with the vertebra above and below. The role of the facet joints is to limit excessive movement and provide stability for the spine.

Facet joints are a potential source of pain which can affect the neck, middle back or lower back. Poor posture is commonly implicated in the development facet joint pain. Prolonged sitting and bending postures places an increased load on the facet joints which then become inflamed and painful. The muscles surrounding the spine also become affected. When considering how poor posture can affect the neck and thoracic spine (middle back) we can see that the thoracic spine becomes round, the shoulders hunch and the head pokes forwards; this leads to tightness of the muscles at the front of the chest and overload of the muscles around the shoulder blades and neck. The paraspinal muscles (long muscles which run the length of either side of the spine) in particular become knotted and tender ⁽¹⁾. 

How can foam rollers help with cervical and facet joint injuries?

A foam roller is a firm solid cylinder which is about 6 inches in diameter and 3 feet long. A roller can be used to isolate specific injured areas of the body and treat restrictions in the soft tissue⁽²⁾as well as perform balance training exercises, core activation exercises and stretching.

Stretching exercises on the foam roller for neck and thoracic facet joint pain.

This exercise is great for extending the middle back and neck and opening out across the front of the chest.

Lie on your back with the roller placed vertically along the length of the spine, feet on the floor and knees bent. Try to keep the spine in contact with the roller and open the arms out to the side. Feel the stretch across the front of the chest, lengthen the neck by tucking the chin inwards.

Muscle release techniques for the middle back using the foam roller

This exercise is to release tension in the muscles either side of the spine, it may feel a little uncomfortable initially but this does ease the more you do it.

Lie on your back with the roller placed horizontally between you and the floor. Your feet should be on the floor with your knees bent. Use the legs to push the body up and down the roller (like a rolling pin) to release tension within the muscles either side of the spine.

By improving your posture, the alignment of your spine is more efficient and the loads placed on the facet joins are reduced.

One of the major benefits of using a foam roller is that it is a relatively inexpensive way to treat injury on your own. It can be used to maintain joint alignment and muscle flexibility in between treatment sessions or for prevention of recurrence of symptoms.

For more information about the use of foam rollers to treat back and neck pain or to purchase a foam roller contact us at (508) 845-3500. 

References

1. Referred pain distribution of the cervical zygapophyseal joints and cervical dorsal rami. Fukui S, Ohseto K, Shiotani M, et al.  1996, Pain, Vol. 68 (1), pp. 79-83.

2. A comparison of the pressure exerted on soft tissue by 2 myofascial rollers. Curran, PF, Fiore, RD and Crisco, JJ. 2008, Journal of sports rehabilitation, Vol. 17, pp. 432-442. 

The urge to “fatten up” and “hibernate” in winter is strong, even for us humans. However, you are better off staying in shape than struggling to catch up come spring. Winter exercise benefits more than just your physical fitness: it is also a powerful antidote for the winter blues.

Options for winter workouts vary by your interests and your location. People who live in warmer, sunnier climates have the outdoor advantage over those of us in the Northeast who have to live with the cold temperatures and snow. But being outdoors in the winter can be exhilarating. Look at Rocky Balboa…all he needed was 2-3 feet of snow covered wasteland, a pile of wood to cut and throw around, a cold barn to workout in, a “Paulie” weighted sled, a few trees to chop down, and a snow covered mountain to climb (watch this if you need a visual: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8xHjC27YvM&NR=1). If it worked for him, it can work for you. And look at how much fun he had!!!

Our muscles produce movement through the generation of force as they contract. Muscles take on many different shapes sizes and capabilities, but one thing that they all have in common is the way that they react when injured.

Damaged muscles release chemicals that cause pain which alerts the body to the stress placed upon it. Scar tissue forms around the injured area in an attempt to heal the damage.

Despite the body's remarkable ability to detect injury and heal itself, the system is not without inherent faults. The chemicals which are released during injury can accumulate and cause lasting pain. The newly forming scar tissue is less organized and less elastic than the original(1).

It is possible to facilitate a more efficient healing process through the use of soft tissue mobilization. In doing so you can return from injury more quickly and as strong as before with less risk of re-injury.

The use of foam rollers is an excellent way to help treat injured muscles; it is extremely effective and becoming more and more widely used by our patients.

A foam roller is a firm foam log about 15cm in diameter and 1.5 meters long (the black tubes you may have seen in our clinic).  It can be used for a variety of exercises which help stretch the body and activate the core, but it is arguably most useful for the massage like effects it can produce on muscles.

The foam roller can be used to produce a massage like affect; you lie on the roller with the affected muscle(s) on top. Slowly rolling over the target area using body weight to produce force mobilizes the soft tissue in much the same way that a massage would. In the picture to the right, the foam roller is being used to massage the person's hamstring muscle.

Effects of foam rolling on injured muscle

The major benefits of foam rolling on injured muscle tissue are twofold:

• Increase in local blood flow

Chemicals, toxins and debris that surround the injured area can be cleared and flushed away via increased blood flow to the area. This debris is often a painful stimulus when collected in one place so by clearing it, we can reduce pain and discomfort.

• Breakdown of scar tissue

We need scar tissue to form in order to repair the injured area; however this scar tissue has a tendency to become excessive, tight and immobile. Rolling to break down fibrous scar tissue increases the flexibility and pliability of the muscle.

Precautions of Foam Rolling

Mobilizing an injured muscle too soon could be detrimental; rolling too soon might risk re-injury or excessive scar production (2). Injured muscle needs a little time to form scar tissue and actually begin to ‘knit' the injured areas back together. 48-72 hours is usually enough time for the scar tissue to form without it starting to become too tight.  

When used correctly foam rolling will help to maximise recovery from a muscle injury, it can be used instead of, or in addition to physical/manual therapy. The use of a foam roller to aid recovery from muscle injury should be based on an accurate diagnosis; you should always seek professional advice if you are unsure.

References

1. Kolt, G S and Snyder-Mackler. Physical therapies in sport and exercise. 2nd Edition. London : Churchill Livingstone, 2007.

2. The effect of early mobilization and immobilization on the healing process following muscl injuries. Jarvinen, M and Lehto, M U K. 1993, Sports Medicine, Vol. 15, pp. 78-89.