Let’s start with the basics – every living organism needs water to survive. The

minimum hydration requirement increases dramatically as you exert effort with

different activities in your everyday lives. Physical activities such as walking,

sitting and standing, running, jumping, and other daily activities of an active

individual obviously require activation of the muscle fibers, which leads to

water absorption. Did you know that as little as 2% changes in hydration can

significantly affect athletic performance? Your muscles use water and require

water for proper functioning. This need is heightened when your muscles are

pushed beyond normal use, especially when pushed to failure. This is the only

way to grow your muscles, but it puts a heavier demand on the water in your

body.

 

Strenuous exercise often leads to muscle exhaustion and fatigue. It also

depletes essential minerals that are necessary for the rapid-fire muscle

contraction which is crucial for athletic success. But hydration is equally

important after a workout. Your hydration level is a good predictor for the

success of post-workout therapies such as foam rolling and massage.

Dehydrated muscle tissue is often said to feel sticky and gluey. Imagine you are

a massage therapist attempting to roll out a piece of smoked jerky. There’s no

“give” or stretch available. But a well-hydrated muscle is more pliable and

resilient, especially when you are commonly using tool-assisted manual

therapy such as foam rollers.

 

Dehydration can often lead to a reduction in flexibility of the muscles. However,

proper distribution of water is also interfered with by trigger points and fascial

restrictions. It isn’t only that there is insufficient total water in your body; the

water can’t reach the areas of dehydrated fascia. However, foam rollers can

help to rehydrate your body through the myofascial releases.

 

Sometimes we push our bodies too far. Our bodies are resilient, which is

usually thought of as a good thing. But sometimes it backfires. The very

resilience that we depend on allows for us to compensate for intense exercise,

incorrect body posture, and other lifestyle factors. But it has limits and the

accumulated effect of bad habits can have a sudden impact on our bodies,

sometimes sidelining us from exercise and even daily activities. Regular foam

rolling allows for daily incremental recovery and decreases the likelihood of

injury or “shutdown” or the need for long term rehabilitation. Prevention is

better than cure, and regular foam rolling, along with adequate water intake is

a key form of prevention. What is adequate water intake? You may have heard

the recommendation of 8 glasses of water per day, but that does not take into

account the difference in body sizes and level of activity. In general, you should

drink between half an ounce and an ounce of water per pound of body weight.

More active people with a rigorous exercise regimen should be on the high end

of that range.