Several weeks ago, I wrote of cellulite lore surrounding the rolling pin treatment. It was one of those things I heard about from a friend, who heard about it from an acquaintance, who heard about it from a woman with gorgeous legs who swore by it.
I haven’t yet experimented with the rolling pin treatment (still working on that cellulite cream review!), but I might have found evidence for why it would be effective.
Thanks to Lamb for bringing this article about cellulite to our attention. The author describes fifteen ways to fight, fix, and minimize cellulite. Her first recommendation is to roll it out with a foam roller –an action that is strikingly similar to the rolling pin treatment.
Celebrity trainer Ashley Borden explains how a foam roller can help treat cellulite:
Moving on a foam roller loosens and opens your muscle fascia [tight interwoven fibers] and causes more nutrient-rich blood to circulate through those fibers, which raises your resting metabolic rate and breaks up fatty tissues.
Ashley recommends using the roller on cellulite-prone areas for twenty minutes nearly every day.
Are any of you familiar with foam rollers? From what I’ve read, they are increasingly popular among physical trainers and physical therapists. I found these reviews interesting and am wondering if it is a product we should investigate further.
For those of you who still aren’t quite sure what I’m talking about, here’s a video that shows how to use a foam roller. It made more sense to me once I saw it in action
Are you battling the blight solo? Cellulite investigating is much more fun (and effective) when you're not going at it alone. Come join the conversation in our discussion forum.
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I can almost feel this working! However, I think a level of fitness is required here that a lot of women won't have, unfortunately, don't you think? I wonder if a smaller, hand-held cross between this and a rolling pin exists out there somewhere, just for starters. That said, I would love to try one of these rollers. It reminds me of a little machine that used to be in the change room at my local Y. It was like a small barrel fixed horizontally on a small stand and covered with "beads" that were slightly larger than, I don't know, an egg, I guess. The idea was to sit on it and turn it on so that the barrel rotated the beads against your thighs. It was presented as a cellulite treatment (this is probably 20 years ago). I used it once or twice, always slightly embarrassed because it seemed so silly. But now I wonder…
I just noticed that the one in the image at the top of your post has bumps on it, but the ones in the video and the Amazon link don't. I think the bumpy one would probably work better…don't know why I think so, I just do!
I think it would, too. I've had large "knots" between my shoulder blades for years. Sometimes I get so desperate for a massage, I put a tennis ball on the floor and roll each knot over top of it. It feels surprisingly good. I always wondered if there was something better for that. You're right that it probably does take a certain level of fitness, depending on what muscle group your targeting. But most of the leg uses don't seem too bad. We could think of it as a time saver: exercise and massage all in one.
I took ballet for 12 years when I was younger (utterly amazed when I think of what my body could do – obviously it was pre-cellulite) and while hanging about, exercising etc we would sit on the floor, legs out in front, arms stretched horizontally in front, and then 'walk' forwards, then backwards, shifting from one buttock to the other, across the floor. I'm wondering if I shouldn't start doing that again 20 years later!
Melissa, have you heard of trigger point therapy? I do it myself every day and it has worked some real miracles with tension, knots, back problems, aching legs, muscle strain and headaches.
I've heard of trigger point therapy, but I don't understand much about it. Does it differ from working out the "knots"?
btw –I have heard from a ballet dancer with cellulite. It's more rare than in the general population, but still possible. (you can read her comment in this post).
Melissa,
Hello there heard you talking about ballerinas with cellulite. Well I was a professional dancer about 10 years ago and although most consider me thin 5’10 134lbs (32yrs old) I now have a problem with stubborn cellulite. Because of my dance career I decided to go to college late and having just finished I realize that I have been studying for 4 years and have not done much else. Recently I began teaching again and have Major cellulite. It is embarrassing and painful. I heard from some friends that once a muscle atrophies (from not training) all of the weight gained turns into cellulite. I have no Idea if this is true, however I do know of several dancers with this problem and woud love to hear what you think…Thanks
Thanks for your comment, Raquey. I am fascinated by the subject of dancers and cellulite because I think we can learn a lot by studying it more closely. Just to clarify, are you saying you know several dancers who stopped training for a few years and then developed major cellulite? I’ve read that some dancers will develop a hard, painful form of cellulite (as opposed to the soft, wavy kind most women have). Dr. Bissoon writes about it in The Cellulite Cure. Does this sound right?
So much great information on this website Melissa! So glad to find CI.
Love how well and how broadly you do your research – refreshing! So much to comment on.
This is a very helpful demo on rolling – definitely looks worth a try.
I have used the tennis balls too – as well as a Shiatsu Rod, Wooden Rollers, Bead Rollers, Acupressure/Qi Gong and a little Trigger Point Therapy/ Shiatsu via books and videos. Some are used more like massage primarily directed locally on the muscle. Others like Acupressure, Qi Gong, Shitsu can with training be used to affect both subtle and strong effects on local and deep structures/functions in the body. When I have tried these out – I have found them surprisingly hellpful and amazing.
There are so many good things out there, it is hard to keep up.
A great starter book is:
•Gach, Michael R. (1990) Acupressure’s Potent Points: a Guide to Self-Care for Common Ailments. Mediatrition. ISBN-0553349708
Thanks to your site I am finally understanding the connection between my longstanding health issues with the cellulite-toxins-lymph collecting in my body since my teens. During my Acupuncture Treatments a constant issue is “Stagnancy” which I now understand “Lymph and Cellulite Congestion” are an obvious part.
I’m so glad you find the information useful, Gay. And thanks for the book recommendation! I will definitely check that one out. Of all the massage options you’ve tried, which are your favorites? I love my theracane and rumble roller, but I’m sure there are other great tools, too.
PS -I would have responded sooner but I’m on vacation this week with limited email access. I do appreciate your comment!
I am shocked at what my foam roller has done for the appearance of my cellulite in the past month. I have always been very fit but in the last 7+ years I feel like my upper and lower body don’t match. I have very lean muscular arms and love wearing tank tops but when it comes to putting a bathing suit on and showing my arse and thighs I’m mortified. I’m very small (5’5″ and 110) and still have all the bumpy crud that make me so insecure. My fix? Long board shorts and a bikini top. Show off the top and hide the bottom. And when I’m at home in the nude I never turn my back on hubby….I walk away from him backwards and giggle. UGH! I found out about the foam roller at the new gym I joined and it caught my attention when one woman called it her “cellulite smasher”…which is how I continue to refer to it as. I immediately bought one at Big5 for $24 and I’m hooked. The first week it hurt so bad it was like knives in my legs. I would moan and work though it for about 20 min while I watched Dr. Phil. I’m on my second month and I can roll over it way less pain and concentrate on working on some of the more stubborn areas. I am beyond amazed and wish that I took some before and after pics (however, I was so insecure I’m not sure who I would have let take pics). Anyhow, I hope this is helpful to anyone thinking about doing this. Think of it as a deep tissue massage. And even if you don’t have the results I do, it’s a great way to loosen your IT band and make you more flexible. Good luck!
Aundi, this is so exciting! My favorite comments are about cellulite success stories!! What kind of roller are you using? Do you have any tips when it comes to rolling techniques for cellulite?
I added your comment to our growing list of cellulite success stories. Thanks for sharing!
I love using the foam roller! I use it every time I workout, about 3 times per week for about 10 minutes. My friend Rob, who owns a Cross Fit gym says you will eventually out grow the foam roller and need denser material – he uses a 4 inch PVC pipe wrapped in duct tape. I am beginning to think I need one of those as the foam roller doesn’t seem to have the same effect on me anymore! I’d love to know if there is yet one more benefit to using the foam roller. I don’t have a whole lot of cellulite anymore since switching to a real food diet and eating lots of fat, I mainly noticed it disappearing with the use of a lot of coconut oil in my diet.
That is great news, Lydia! For some women, adding healthy saturated fats to the diet seems to do the trick. Please let me know when I can add your story to our growing list of cellulite success stories! It’s one of my favorite parts of maintaining this blog.
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