HISTORY OF THE SMARTROLLER®

Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais, developer of the Feldenkrais Method®, was one of the first to use rollers as a therapeutic tool. Feldenkrais observed that much of our daily movement is unconscious and is based on long-standing habits. We don't think about it until we encounter a problem -- perhaps a shooting pain or limitation in something we once did easily.

Because people can only adjust to what they are able to feel, Feldenkrais devised strategies to enhance the body's natural sensitivity to movement. He used rollers to reduce movement friction and as a kind of "tuning mechanism" to get the body to be more receptive to itself and its environment. The first rollers Feldenkrais used in the 1950s were made of wood. When he came to America in the 1970s, he was introduced to rollers made of high-density foam, designed for packing heavy equipment. Feldenkrais soon began using them in his work.

Foam rollers quickly caught on among Feldenkrais practitioners as a way to deepen motor learning. Physical therapists and trainers found them useful as well. The Smartroller® evolved out of these initial uses, as an efficient neuromuscular re-education tool for better movement. Read more...

““What I like about the Smartroller is the immediate effects I experienced after using it for only a few minutes.”
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— Dr. Patricia Fitzgerald, Doctor of Acupuncture & oriental Medicine, Nutritionist, Homeopath, Author

DR. MOSHE FELDENKRAIS, THE FIRST TO USE FOAM ROLLERS

**Dr. Feldenkrais used play and exploration with rollers, never imposing pain into learning**