The Best Trigger Point Foam Rollers

321 Strong Foam Roller

Flexible foam for all

This foam roller is an amazing invention for cutting down on injuries and keeping your body flexible all day long.

Best Overall

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The foam roller by 321 Strong is a marvelous invention that provides moderate pain relief across enormous sections of the body. The device features two different textures, one for more shallow pressure and another that digs deep with more ridges. While the texture is less than ideal for more bony areas, you can also use this roller on sore thighs, hamstrings, calves, and feet. We love using the roller to supplement stretching to prevent muscle strain during workouts and relax the body when the day’s stress catches up to us. Overall, if you’re looking for a tool to increase flexibility due to previous injuries or physically demanding day-to-day jobs, this foam roller will allow you to spend less time recovering and more time grinding.

Pros:

• Over ten unique color patterns to choose from
• eBook with stretching guides included with purchase

Cons:

• Not the best for treating spine or neck tension

The Original Body Roller High-Density Massager

Superior spine straightening

This textured roller mimics a masseuse's fingers to great effect, replacing spa sessions with a long-lasting recovery tool instantly.

Best For Back

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If you’re looking to reduce swelling and soreness from the shoulder blades to the lower back, check out this pick by The Original Body Roller. This high-density foam roller is thicker than your average personal massager, allowing you to break up knots from sitting at awkward angles or overexertion at the gym. While the 17-inch model is a great choice for more frequent surface-level massages, we love the 13-inch option for more targeted relief. Whether you’re adding balancing exercises to your bodyweight workouts or warming up for the big race, this body roller may soon become your personal physical therapist of choice.

Pros:

• Fully recyclable and highly water-resistant
• Excels at deep tissues massages
• Eight colors and two sizes available

Cons:

• It may be too stiff for first-time users

TriggerPoint Performance Grid Foam Roller

Roll with the flow

This roller gives you three distinct stretching options that tackle hard-to-reach regions.

Most Versatility

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TriggerPoint Performance’s Grid foam roller is a fascinating massage tool that doesn’t limit you to one type of stretch. While some foam rollers’ texture selection is limited, the Grid roller has three distinct patterns that cover almost every ailment you can think of. If your back is extremely sore due to exertion, the largest, smoothest sections gently stretch without causing further inflammation. But when pressure points develop and you need a higher level of pressure, the tubular and raised-ridge tracks allow you to focus your force on specific muscle groups. Best of all, the unit is completely hollow, meaning the roller won’t deform over time.

Pros:

• Incredible 500-pound weight capacity
• Online video library for guided tutorials

Cons:

• Can cause bruising with improper use

Idson Muscle Roller Stick

Push through pressure point pain

This muscle roller stick is a handheld hero capable of breaking up back pain and addressing countless other muscle groups with ease.

Best For Travel

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When ground-based rollers don’t cut it, Idson’s muscle roller stick takes deep muscle penetration to the next level. While addressing back pain may be tricky without a partner, Idson’s product gives you more accessibility across the front of your body and legs thanks to its compact, handheld stature. If gravity plus the weight of your body doesn’t add up to enough force for relief, the roller stick will deliver relief from tension and knots in a much more precise manner. The ergonomic grip ensures a firm hold for high-pressure sessions, while nine free rolling massage wheels offer rock-solid resistance for ironing out pinched nerves and aiding overworked joints.

Pros:

• Easy to disassemble for cleaning
• Perfect size and weight for luggage or gym bags
• Impressive price for the quality

Cons:

• Not recommended for muscles around pronounced bones

Ativafit Sports Wheel Set

Stretch without stress

This rolling set will provide targeted relief down the spine and take your yoga poses to the next level.

Best For Yoga

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For individuals that want to take their flexibility to the next level, Ativafit’s sports wheel is the therapy set to beat. Sports wheels have long been used as a supplement to yoga poses because of their lightweight and versatile design. While this device will allow you to execute numerous poses that are normally inaccessible to most, we also love them for concentrated spine relief. These wheels feature a tacky surface and rigid core that allows you to slowly move section by section without undue pressure. When soft foam alternatives can’t do the trick, these sports wheels promise to stand tall and retain their shape for years to come.

Pros:

• Thick foam padding throughout
• Three sizes with varying pressure
• Odor-proof foam and plastic

Cons:

• Expensive, but well worth the price

Frequently Asked Questions

What foam roller should I pick for my specific muscle injury?

If you’re new to foam rolling, there are plenty of factors to consider before making your first purchase. As a general rule, you should consider your roller’s length, density, and texture. Longer foam rollers are a great first choice for users with general soreness and lower pain thresholds. The shorter and more dense the roller, the more targeted the relief and the smaller the effective surface area. Consider adding a textured surface to your longer, cylindrical roller if you want a massage with a little more power for non-specific pain relief. Lastly, if you suffer from recurring pain and knots, or favor the deepest sports massages, consider a narrow, hollow roller. These products tend to be more rigid, come as a handheld wand or wheel, and help alleviate more serious problems such as compressed discs or shin splints.

What’s the history behind foam rollers?

Foam rollers have been used in a professional physical therapy setting for decades. While Ukrainian engineer Moshé Feldenkrais is widely credited as the inventor of the foam roller, it originally had a very specific purpose. Moshé created the foam roller to be used in his exercise regiment known as the Feldenkrais Method, a type of alternative therapy aimed at promoting more neural connections between the body and brain. Although the Feldenkrais Method has very scant academic evidence pointing towards its effectiveness, one of Mosché’s students, Sean Gallagher, popularized the device for general physical therapy.