Best foam rollers for muscle stiffness and soreness, according to pros – CNET [CNET]

TriggerPoint

The TriggerPoint Core foam roller is good for people new to foam rolling since it’s a bit softer than other rollers. TriggerPoint designed the grid pattern on the roller to mimic a massage therapist’s hand so it feels like you are getting a massage at home.

“I love the TriggerPoint as you’re able to roll out your entire body, including your back. This foam roller will help loosen up your iliotibial band (IT band) which is one of the most important locations to foam roll to avoid knee pain. I love this foam roller as it doesn’t wear down like most foam rollers will over time, in addition, it releases the muscle adhesions faster, as it’s applying more pressure to the muscle fiber directly.”

“For the best results, hold the foam roller on one spot for 30 seconds, it should feel tender and maybe slightly painful, which is normal. Roll out your quads, hamstrings, calves, glutes, upper and lower back to reduce muscle soreness and increase mobility.” — Holly Roser, certified personal trainer

Amazon

This Luxfit foam roller is a no-frills roller perfect for if you don’t want to spend a lot but still want the benefits of foam rolling. The smaller size foam roller is good for travel, too. This is a high-density roller, meaning it will feel pretty firm — you may want to start with a softer roller if you’ve never used one before or have any chronic pain or injuries.

“The Luxfit High Density Foam Roller is effective, durable and affordable. It comes in several different sizes, with the smallest size (12 inch) priced just under $9. The Luxfit is lightweight with a very firm texture and smooth surface. This makes it a great choice for those looking for a less intense roller that still gets the job done.” — Heather Marr, certified personal trainer and co-founder of Liftologie.

Hyperice

The Vyper 2.0 is a vibrating foam roller — which sounds a bit weird — but the vibration helps blunt any pain or soreness. You can think of it kind of like a massage gun and foam roller combined. 

“I love this roller because it vibrates and melds into the fascia, opening up the muscle spindles. It aids in improved performance and recovery returning the body to a neutral state and breaking up the adhesions.” — Brooke Taylor, certified trainer and founder of Taylored Fitness.

OPTP

The OPTP Pro-Roller is a softer foam roller that measures 36 inches in length. Although this roller takes up more space because it’s so long, you can do a lot more with it — like lie on it to help release your spine and roll both of your legs easily at the same time. 

“This roller is soft but still supportive. Many foam rollers are too hard for my patients that have chronic pain. This version allows them to get a comfortable postural stretch and later transition to release work on the same roller without all the direct pain a firm roller can cause.” — Heather Jeffcoat, DPT, physical therapist and founder of Fusion Wellness PT.

TriggerPoint

The TriggerPoint Grid foam roller is a firmer foam roller that is actually hollow on the inside. It’s firmer than the Core roller, but has the same grid design that is supposed to mimic a massage therapist’s hand. 

“I love the TriggerPoint performance Grid foam roller. I think it has the best combination of foam firmness & texture of all the rollers I’ve ever tried. Some are way too hard, some too soft, others don’t have the trigger points positioned perfectly the way this one does. And I also love the size, it’s amazing.” — Pamela Kalechofsky, certified stretch therapist at Stretch Relief and yoga instructor.

“I like this one for my patients that have specific peripheral spots like their quads or calves that require some extra pressure to get in and release the tissue. This foam roller has firm knobs and softer rows so you can adjust the level of pressure over the area. It’s also hollow, so it travels well.” — Heather Jeffcoat, DPT.