Hello from the sidelines, guys. I'm a coughing fool, so I've taken the week off. I also had what I think was a calf pull a week ago, so I've been resting that and finally got a foam roller this week. It's awesome (but painful)!

I had dinner with a runner friend yesterday who said her chiropractor says no to foam rollers. The chiro said while it may break up scar tissue in the short run, rubbing a large unfocused area into the bone creates MORE scar tissue in the long run. I'm not a big fan of chiros, and I kind of called B.S. and plan to keep rolling. What do you think?

Opinions welcome. Links to studies about foam roller efficacy even more welcome.

Plenty of people say no to chiropractors too, so there's that.

Basically, what LRB said. I have never used one, but I kind of feel left out, because it seems a high % of people on these forums do.

BTW - you know what is REALLY bad for you, probably THE WORST thing you can do for your bones & joints? Running.

My chiropractor recommended foam rolling. And my foam roller came with a warning that says not to roll over bony areas. Oops, that sort of limits its usefulness, doesn't it? And I agree - painfully awesome.

I use it on occasion. My chiro does ART, and it helps me a lot. she will lecture me when I slip that I haven't used the roller lately.

Is it like seeing your dentist when you haven't been flossing?

Are we supposed to roll all the time? I have a stick, not the foam type, what's the difference between the two? I only use mine if I have real pain/tightness in an area. Like, to an extreme. Otherwise, I just endure the usual after run discomfort that follows speedwork or a LR. I think pain foolishly makes me feel hardcore. I'm stupid like that. 

I have stuff I have to roll proactively or I can't run. Roller keeps me on the road. Wouldn't be running without it right now.

That's my thought, tracilynn.

I'm digging the responses.