The first recorded history of foam roller use was of Dr Moshe Feldenkrais, a Ukrainian-Israeli physicist, engineer and martial artist who developed a system of exercises focussing on awareness through movement. When Feldenkrais migrated to the United States in the mid-1970s, he was introduced to packing rollers – cylindrical rollers made out of foam. He quickly began to use those foam rollers in his system for body support and balance work.
In 1987 US physiotherapist and then Feldenkrais student, Sean Gallagher began to use foam rollers as a self-massage tool and facilitated the en masse adoption by Broadway dancers who needed to be in ‘show condition’ every night. During the 1990s US physiotherapist Mike Clarke spread the message of foam rolling under the guise of “self myofascial release”. In his pre-millenia writings, Clarke produced many manuals detailing foam rolling for self-massage practices, culminating in his book Integrated Training for the New Millenium published in 2001.
The popularity of foam rolling began to increase, especially amongst weight lifters, as a means of reducing aching muscles and improving gym performance. In 2004 the first foam roller patent was registered in the United States, kicking the foam roller business into overdrive, including use by the physiotherapy community.
Description provided by Glenn Ruscoe of Australia
References:
Barrows S. Stacy Barrows: Foam roller history and practical use. Accessed online at https://www.otpbooks.com/stacy-barrows-foam-roller-primer on 3 December 2021.
Heffernan C. 2016. The history of the foam roller. Physical Culture Study website accessed online at http://www.physicalculturestudy.com/2016/02/02/the-history-of-the-foam-roller on 3 December 2021.
