Foam rolling can be a painful experience, particularly in the early stages of using your foam roller as you get used to the procedure. However, the pain that you experience from foam rolling is more likely be as a result of compression, as opposed to the actual rolling itself. As you apply pressure to tightened areas of the body, the pain receptors in this area react, hence the pain. If you continue to experience pain when foam rolling, you may want to consider changing your foam rolling technique. Alternatively, relive the amount of pressure you apply when completing sessions.