Raise your hand if you have a foam roller gathering dust under your bed or in your closet. Or maybe you've thought about getting a foam roller but haven't actually pulled the trigger yet. Well, your muscles called, and they're begging you to use this recovery aid in your fitness routine.
The foam roller is a tool you should be incorporating into nearly every workout, says Sarah Kostyukovsky, a physical therapist at Physio Logic in New York City. âFoam rolling has been shown to improve range of motion, decrease neuromuscular exhaustion, and decrease post-exercise soreness,â she says. In fact, foam rolling after a workout significantly decreases soreness up to 72 hours later, according to research published in The Journal of Athletic Training.
AmazonBasics High-Density Round Exercise Therapy Foam Roller - 24 Inches, Yellow Speckled
AmazonBasics High-Density Round Exercise Therapy Foam Roller - 24 Inches, Yellow Speckled
But itâs not just beneficial post-exercise, says Kostyukovsky. "Foam rolling before a workout can improve your mobility without negatively affecting performance," she says. Foam rolling before or after a workout can also help decrease muscle fatigue and improve your performance. (You can even roll on recovery days to help soothe your muscles.)
Because it's basically a self-massage technique meant to affect your soft tissues (like your muscles and fascia), you can foam roll any major muscle group including the quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and upper back, says Kostyukovsky. âYou just want to avoid sensitive parts of the body where nerves and blood vessels lie close to the skin like your neck, abdomen, and groin,â she explains.
And when it comes to choosing the right roller, Kostyukovsky says: âa smaller foam roller (18 or 24 inches) can target most parts of the body and is good for portability."
She also recommends a larger foam roller (36 inches), as it's "more versatile and can be used to target larger body areas like your upper back.â
It's important to note that the firmer the foam roller, the deeper the pressure it will provideâso if youâre new to foam rolling, start with a softer roller to adapt your body to the technique and to prevent injury.
Ready to get rolling? Try these seven exercisesâit only takes 10 to 15 minutes to do all of them!ânext time youâre about to exercise or when youâre cooling down. Roll over each spot five to 10 times.
Calves
How to: Sit on the floor with legs straight out, hands on the floor behind you supporting your weight. Place the foam roller under calves, and bend left knee to rest left ankle on right leg. Slowly roll along the back of right leg, up and down from knees to ankles. Repeat on opposite side.
Why you should do it: Tight calves and limited ankle mobility can seriously hamper your movement. âFoam rolling the muscles on the back of your lower leg can decrease the fascial restrictions in your lower leg and improve your ankle mobility for injury prevention and improved sports performance,â says Kostyukovsky.
When you should do it: Try doing this first thing in the morning to improve ankle stiffness, after sitting all day to get the blood flowing, or after an intense leg workout to reduce future soreness.
Hamstrings
How to: Sit with right leg on the foam roller, left knee bent and hands on the floor behind you. Roll up and down from knee to just under right butt cheek. Switch legs.
Why you should do it: âFoam rolling your hamstringsâthere are three muscles that all attach to the pelvisâcan loosen up your upper leg and improve your hip mobility for decreased stress on your lower back and improved sports performance,â says Kostyukovsky.
When you should do it: Sit at a desk all day? Then you definitely need to roll out those tight hammies when you get home. You can also roll this area after an intense leg workout to decrease post-exercise soreness.
Quads
How to: Lie facedown on the floor and place the foam roller under hips. Roll up and down from hip to knees.
Why you should do it: Your quads are a very dense muscle group with multiple layers of muscles, says Kostyukovskyâand most of us (especially runners and cyclists) are quad-dominant. âThere are four quadriceps muscles and they all have a common attachment to the knee cap,â she explains. âFoam rolling this area can improve the flexibility of the knee and therefore decrease the stress it may be imparting on your knee cap, in addition to reducing tension in your upper leg and improving your hip mobility.â
When you should do it: Target the quads before a workout to improve mobility or afterward to decrease soreness.
Back
How to: Sit on the floor with the foam roller on lower back, resting hands behind head. Tighten abs and slowly bend knees to move the roller up back, to just below shoulder blades. Roll back to start.
Why you should do it: Lower back pain is incredible common, and foam rolling can provide immediate relief. âThereâs a large area of connective tissue in the low back called the thoracolumbar that surrounds the back muscles and attaches to the spine,â explains Kostyukovsky. âFoam rolling this area can help improve muscle activation and reduce tightness.â
When you should do it: Youâll definitely want to do this move after sitting all day to decrease low back stiffness or soreness.
Outer Thighs
How to: Position body on right side, with foam roller under right hip and right hand under right elbow. Bracing abs and glutes for balance, use right arm to slowly roll down from right hip to right knee. Switch to other side and repeat.
Why you should do it: âBecause of anatomical differences between women and men, women tend to have tighter outer thighs due to our wider pelvic brim,â says Kostyukovsky. âRolling the outer thighs can be particularly important for women to help with this tightness.â This move will target the long band of connective tissue that runs from your outer hip to your outer knee called the iliotibial band or ITB, she adds. âFoam rolling this area can decrease stress on your hip and/or knee.â
When you should do it: Try this one before a workout to improve the soft tissue mobility of the outer thigh.
Shoulders and Sides
How to: Position body on right side, with foam roller under right side of chest, right arm extended out on the floor away from torso, right leg straight on ground, and left leg propped in front of body with bent knee. Rotate back slightly so right lower shoulder muscle is in contact with foam roller. Slowly roll foam roller a few inches closer to legs, then a few inches closer to head. Switch sides.
Why you should do it: A lot of people carry their stress in the upper back and shoulder area. âDeep, sustained pressure to trigger points or âmuscle knotsâ has been shown to decrease the tightness of the muscle fibers and reduce the sensitivity,â says Kostyukovsky. âUsing your body weight over the foam roller for deep pressure on these muscles and soft tissue can improve muscle tension and decrease those stubborn trigger points.â
When you should do it: This will feel great literally any time of day, especially if youâre particularly stressed.
Butt
How to: Sitting on the foam roller, cross right leg over left knee and lean toward left hip, putting weight on left hand for support. Slowly roll over left butt cheek. Switch sides.
Why you should do it: Your glutes are the largest muscle group in your body, and they have a lot of fascial layers, says Kostyukovsky. âA lot of people have difficulty activating these muscles,â too. Foam rolling can help to improve fascial mobility and hip range of motion, she says. âBy improving the blood flow and fascial gliding of the butt muscles, foam rolling could also help with muscle activation of the gluteals, which are an important muscle group for everyday activities like stair climbing, as well as sports specific movements like running.â
When you should do it: Wake up those glutes with some foam rolling after sitting all day or before a workout. And if youâve done a heavy leg workout and know youâre going to feel it tomorrow, grab a foam roller and roll out before heading home and sitting on your butt.
Ready to invest in your own foam roller? Try these great options:
TriggerPoint Performance Four-Speed Vibrating Foam Roller
Thereâs a reason the foam on this vibrating, textured roller is different widthsâit was designed to feel like a massage therapistâs hands. Plus, the spaces in between give your tissues room to breathe, promoting the flow of blood and oxygen, which helps repair muscles faster.Â
Reviewer rave: âThere is so much to be said about vibration therapy -- coupled with foam rolling makes pure magic. This device does the trick. I use before and after runs and just as proactive treatment. Highly recommend.â âthisgirlruns, amazon.com
LuxFitâs roller has no frills, but itâs perfect for those new to foam rolling. "If you're unsure about what kind of roller to use or are totally new to this concept, the classic white or black foam roller is a good place to start," says Jeff Brannigan, program director at Stretch*d. "The general rule of thumb is that the more dense the roller, the more intense it will be."  This roller is made from polypropylene foam technology, so it wonât lose its shape after heavy use. It also comes in four different sizes, depending on your needs.Â
Reviewer rave: â (...) Good thing about the firmness of this is that you can choose the amount of pressure by leaning into it. If it was softer it would not do the job.â âHana, amazon.com
This genius textured roller doubles as a water bottle to save space when you're on the road. The grooved surface digs into muscle knots to release tension.Â
Reviewer Rave: âGreat idea, really well made. Keeps drinks cold and foam roller works well. Saves me carrying two items to the gym/track.â âGavin Thomason, amazon.com
Hyperice Vyper 2.0 High-Intensity Vibrating Fitness Roller
This vibrating foam roller is great for people who tense up when foam rollingâthe vibration technology gets the job done, without having to push your entire lower body weight into the roller. The creators claim it can increase your range of motion by up to 40 percent, versus 18 percent with a regular roller.
Reviewer rave: âItâs the Lamborghini of foam rollers with its powerful vibration technology and dense material. This tool is fantastic for helping speed up the warm up process and is proven to increase heat to the tissues faster than a traditional foam roller.â â Kamraan Husain, DC
Pro-Tec Athletics Orb Deep Tissue High Density Massage Ball
Youâll get the same trigger-point results on your IT bands, hamstrings, quads, and calves as a hard lacrosse ball or a softer tennis ball, but with a more moderate pressure thanks to this orbâs high-density foam. Meaning this little orb will help offer some muscle relief, without ample agony.
Reviewer Rave: âI do love this massage ball. It is lightweight with a textured surface allowing it to provide some grip between body and wall when using it on my shoulder/neck area. A great addition to my other rollers, hand tools, and devices for deep tissue work.â âSouthern Gramma, amazon.com
This mini foot roller can provide pavement pounders with major reliefâespecially if youâre suffering from plantar fasciitis or heel spurs. The ergonomic shape lets you really dig into your footâs smaller muscles.
Reviewer rave: âMy plantar fasciitis diagnosis was recent, I've been searching for anything that could help. Several sites recommended rollers, and after research, I chose this one. It's compact so I can take it to work or on vacation. It's also easy to store.â âKelly Rivers, amazon.com
You can either roll your body on a foam roller or roll a foam roller on youâand this is one of the best foam rollers for the latter. Not only does this stick come with non-slip grips, so you donât wear your hands out, itâs also the perfect size to stash in a purse, gym bag, or carry-on.
Reviewer rave: âDue to having flat feet and a few other issues, running has always been a difficult task for me due to the everlasting curse of shin splints. The trainers at Orange Theory recommended the Tiger Tail Rolling Muscle Massager and it has completely changed my ability to exercise. I honestly don't know how I've come this far without one.â âV. Lopez, amazon.com
If you canât find the perfect foam roller, make your own: This stick comes with massagers of varying sizes and densities, so you can mix and match to your needs. Changing out the âgears,â if you will, also lets you target tougher-to-reach areas like the achilles, shins, shoulders, and forearms.
Reviewer rave: âAs a marathon runner who puts a lot of miles on my legs training, I have many (and I do mean MANY!) massage rollers. But I've gotta say this one is my ABSOLUTE favorite. It's just the best!! The "beads" on it feel so good, you just have to try it.â âHummingbirds, amazon.com
RAD Helix I High Density Foam Myofascial Release Tool
The Rad Helix is the one of the best foam rollers for myofascial release on your back. The two cone-shaped ends extend and open up your back, but the cut-out keeps the pressure from getting to be too much on your spine. (It works on your calves, quads, hips, and hamstrings, too!)
Reviewer rave: âThis roller is awesomesauce. I use it in tandem with my regular foam roller as it is good to get the muscles along the spine without crunching the spine in the process. It is also light and small enough to take with me when I travel, which is a plus.â âAmber Alfano, amazon.com
Rollga Foam Roller: Deep Tissue Massage and Trigger Point Release Muscle Roller, Hard Foam Version, Black Color
The Rollgaâs peanut-shaped roller is made to contour your body and will help you target muscles while avoiding bones and tendons â this helps get hard to reach spots other rollers might not reach and makes rolling less painful. It also comes in three different foam densities (soft, standard, and hard), so you can find one thatâll match the intensity you need.
Reviewer rave: âThis one is a little more advanced, but it does an amazing job of getting your back extensors. It also really gets the hamstrings so good and the quads really well.â âAlicia Jamison, CPT at Body Space Fitness
When different parts of your body have different needs, youâll get a little bit of everything with 321 Strongâs set. Their durable massage roller doubles as storage for their massage balls, stretch strap, and massage stick.Â
Reviewer rave: âLove this set! I'm a massage therapist and have other therapists that work for me. We all use these pieces in between sessions and often suggest them to clients for at-home care as well. All of the items are durable and very easily cleanedâ âEmily, amazon.com
Acumobility The Ultimate Back Roller
Acumobilityâs roller has four rows of large bumps to give you the âI just got a deep tissueâ massage feeling post-roll.
Reviewer rave: "It's 11 inches in diameter (most rollers are six inches in diameter). This increased diameter allows for better range of motion as one is using the roller, much like a yoga wheel," âKamraan Husain
