Some researchers also claim that foam rollers can help manage the symptoms of fibromyalgia, along with inhibiting cellulite appearance, temporarily. These also come in colourful shades and designs to perk up your workout settings. So, go ahead and buy a foam roller online for your loved ones and yourself.
Explore Plus. Fitness Accessories. Foam Rollers. She covers fitness for Wirecutter, writing about everything from fitness trackers and jump ropes to how to keep a workout journal. She has foam rolled consistently for years, using many different types and textures in her pursuit of the best self-myofascial release. She has also reviewed all manner of fitness products for Wirecutter, including resistance bands , adjustable dumbbells , and pull-up bars.
Foam rolling is for pretty much anyone. Some conditions contraindicate the practice , however; when in doubt, check with a professional. It is a technique of self-myofascial release SMR , or self-massage, to help lengthen the fascia that covers the muscles, which, when restricted, can cause muscle tightness and adhesions knots. By targeting muscle groups and using both gravity placing the muscle atop the roller and friction the rolling action , you can effectively break up and ease out tight tissue.
Foam rolling is good for anyone who sits a lot the fascia can tighten in response to being held sedentary for too long , anyone who moves a lot the fascia can tighten when at rest after being used a lot , and anyone who likes to work out the fascia can tighten in response to being overworked, and may also tighten in other places to compensate for muscles that are overworked.
Short rollers will do the trick for some areas of the body we recommend this one. But only long rollers allow you to, for instance, lie comfortably along their length to gently roll your back muscles, or stretch the front of your body. And in most cases, you want the firmest material you can tolerate to go as deep as you can—some trainers we know use actual PVC pipe and skip the foam entirely. A bumpy, ridged, or otherwise textured roller can be good for targeting specific knots known as trigger points or for someone who prefers even deeper work.
The physical therapist, the massage therapist, and Amy then spent at least an hour with each product, using it on themselves and discussing its merits and demerits with colleagues. We considered each roller for:. We also reviewed each roller for its best attributes, any shortcomings, and overall usefulness, both individually and then as a group.
For an update to this guide, Amy again consulted massage therapist Polina Savelieva to help evaluate four vibrating foam rollers. And finally, in our most recent round of testing, Ingrid assessed 12 additional rollers across our chosen categories using the same criteria listed above:. The Black Axis Firm Foam Roller is the same size 36 inches and density firm as our top pick, but it costs a bit more and hails from a well-known company.
Orthopedic Physical Therapy Products OPTP has been an industry leader in providing quality products for use in professional settings for more than 30 years. This roller lives up to those high expectations, delivering reliable compression for large and medium muscle groups alike.
Foam rolling hurts—or at least it can be pretty darn uncomfortable, especially for a novice or anyone recovering from an injury. Made of polyethylene foam—which, unlike EPP, is frothed with air rather than compressed—it provides a softer texture. This type of foam, however, is also likely to compress and warp with long-term use because the air is eventually pressed out.
The full inch length gives it more versatility than shorter rollers for large-muscle-group work mid-back, for example and also provides support for the tailbone and a neutral spine position.
It can be tricky to achieve deeper SMR with a smooth foam roller. Nubs, knobs, and ridges can help reach stubborn knots or areas that warrant deeper manipulation. We kept coming back to the TriggerPoint Rush Roller : A inch roller textured with a diamond-shaped pattern of ridges, which the company says contributes to a shearing effect essentially oppositely directed parallel forces acting on a muscle.
We found that it works particularly well as a supplement to a smooth roller, when we want a deeper, more precise focus on knots in calves, glutes, or hamstrings—though the Rush would also serve those who simply want more intensity in their daily rolling routine. Made with a layer of ethylene-vinyl acetate EVA , a closed-cell foam, over a hollow plastic core, the Rush is less aggressively textured than other deep-tissue rollers we tried.
We felt a difference after using it in comparison with other textured rollers, mostly because we were able to use it longer. Many brands of the 6-inch-diameter rollers—including our top pick —come in shorter lengths, typically 12 and 18 inches, that are somewhat easier to travel with. We also tried a couple of rollers designed for travel , but neither won us over completely. Foam rollers, for the most part, are either adored or ignored. However, after a year of home workouts and new routines there is a little more time for recovery and mobility.
Surprise, surprise, a foam roller is an easy and affordable way to reap the benefits. We've got everything from the best foam rollers on the market to everything you need to know about the recovery tool and the benefits of foam rolling. The whole package! Let's get into it. Put simply, a foam roller sometimes termed a 'massage roller', 'muscle roller' or occasionally a 'back roller' is a cylinder typically made of compressed foam. In recent years, the recovery method has gone from a habit reserved for athletes to common practice amongst runners and workout fiends.
Some foam rollers are smooth and some are textured. Different designs offer varying levels of muscle massage. Studies have found that doing foam roller exercises can help with increasing flexibility to reducing muscle soreness and eliminating muscle knots. Our picks are recommended by trainers, runners, dancers, and a chiropractor, and they include standard, high-density foam rollers and specialty options like a collapsible, travel-size version and even a vibrating roller.
A favorite of everyone from marathon runners to American Ballet Theater dancers , the TriggerPoint gets high marks for its bumps and ridges that simulate a hands-on massage, and the firm core that helps it keep its shape even after years of use. Jan Lefkowitz, a chiropractor at Body in Balance Chiropractic , recommends lying down with a medium-density foam roller like the OPTP LoRox underneath your back to improve your posture.
She says this roller has a just-right density for warming up and relaxing muscles before stretching. On the other hand, if you want something that gives an even deeper release than high-density rollers, check out the extra-firm, vibrating Vyper. The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape.
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