It’s no wonder I have knots, aches and pains, spending much of the day in a sedentary position, typically on a computer, and driving at least three hours a day. This behavior has been shown to lead to muscle atrophy, a shortening and weakening of the muscles.

I found much-needed relief for my tight muscles during Anthony Chrisco’s foam roller class at the Kroc Center in Ewa Beach.

The cylindrical foam rollers can be used to counteract the tension your body endures in everyday life, to prepare muscles for a workout or assist with a post-workout cool-down. The roller breaks down trouble spots in the muscle tissue, much like a therapist works out knots during a massage — although it’s not quite as relaxing as a massage.

Both massage and the use of foam rollers are a kind of soft-tissue therapy known as myofascial release which is used to treat pain and restriction of motion by relaxing contracted muscles and increasing circulation and lymphatic drainage. (Myofascia is the loose but strong connective tissue that covers and separates layers of muscle.)

During the class, participants focus on each muscle group by placing a specific body part, for example the lower leg, on top of the roller. Moving in slow back-and-forth motions, the rollers create pressure and friction and break down the tissue, which can be extremely painful. You’ll hear the groans of your neighbors when they’ve hit the right spots.

We worked on legs, hips, the upper back, armpits, feet and lateral neck muscles. For me, working on the iliotibial band, a thick band of fibrous tissue that runs down the outside of the leg from the hip to the knee, was the most excruciating, probably due to all the sitting I do.

Chrisco provides clear instruction of what part of the body is being worked and which ailments might be helped by the movements.

According to Chrisco, foam rollers can be used to restore alignment, instill body awareness, improve posture and flexibility, challenge neuromuscular control and alleviate muscular tension and pain. Since he instructs participants not to let their body sag in the middle during the exercises, the routine also helps improve core stability.

After each exercise, my muscles were looser and I felt more flexible.

Chrisco warns that foam rolling is not a replacement for stretching. The roller exercises will release tension, but if you want your body to be in optimal condition, add strength training and a stretching routine.

I was still sore in a few places a couple days after the class. But nonetheless I was inspired to purchase my own foam roller, which can be found at variety and sporting goods stores, and make the exercises a daily practice.