The Tamesis
With the latest wellness technology promising to strengthen the core and correct bad posture, people across the country are swapping out their foam rollers and quickly adopting a stretch that seems softer and gentler on the body: Meet the Japanese towel roll.
As described by Melissa Leber, MD, FACEP, associate professor of orthopedics and emergency medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital, the Japanese towel roll is a posture and body alignment exercise. Created by physician Toshiki Fukutsudzi, it uses a towel to help stretch your lower back, providing many benefits to your physical health (and well-being).
“This method is promoted as helping with posture, alignment, lower back appearance, and back pain if the position is held for five minutes a day,” says Dr. Leber. But like anything the internet is obsessed with, we have to ask: is this true?
benefit
There are many benefits to incorporating this into your daily routine. If you do it every day, it may help tighten and strengthen your core, says Dr. Leber. “It forces you to engage your abdominal muscles,” she explains. Because you’re strengthening your core, it may also help relieve back pain and muscle tension, she says. You’ll also improve your mobility, as she says it encourages stretch and extension in your back and limbs.
Some operations cannot be accomplished with this method. Although some videos claim it can completely help reset your nervous system, she says this hasn’t been discovered in science. Instead, what’s likely happening is that it forces you to stop moving and relax for five minutes, lowering your heart rate and slowing your breathing. “We probably all need this [to] Helps reduce stress,” she said.
It also doesn’t guarantee you’ll lose weight or make your waistline more defined, as she says it won’t reduce belly fat or shrink your waist. If you notice that your abdominal muscles become more toned over time, she says the result is a “tighter” waist. But that’s not a benefit you have to count on.
Japanese towel roll and foam roller
Is there a real difference? Yes, but slightly. Although they are very similar and offer many of the same benefits, Dr. Leber says Japanese roll towels may be the more comfortable option. “Foam rolling is more of an active stretching exercise. [there is] “There’s usually more movement involved,” she says, “but you can maintain the same passive position in both.”
how to do
It’s very simple to try this method. All you need is three pieces of equipment: a bath towel, rubber bands, and a flat surface to lie on (like a yoga mat). The next step is to roll the towel into a tight cylinder about 3 to 4 inches thick, Dr. Leber says. Secure the ends with rubber bands and place the towel behind your back.
She says you need to place the towel horizontally under your lower back (at the same level as your belly button). As you slowly lie back, straighten your legs and tilt your toes in so that your big toes touch. Then, extend your arms above your head with your palms facing down and your little fingers touching. Ideally, you need to hold this position for five minutes, but she says you can start with one minute and work your way up. And be sure to be consistent and do this every day for best results.
