Fascia release tools

She also has experience in private yoga training. Marley Hall is a writer and fact checker who is certified in clinical and translational research. Her work has been published in medical journals in the field of surgery, and she has received numerous awards for publication in education. Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the best products; you can learn more about our review process here.

We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links. Did you wake up feeling extra tight, stiff, or sore this morning? Your muscles and connective tissue might benefit from a little TLC with myofascial release. Myofascial release is a physical therapy technique that addresses sensitivity in the fascia, the connective tissue that surrounds and supports every muscle in your body.

By addressing specific trigger points within the fascia where the pain originates, you can help reduce pain and ease tension and tightness. Luckily, you can employ similar techniques on your own at home with the right tools. By making broad, sweeping motions across your major muscle groups, you can effectively reach those trigger points and benefit from more comprehensive stretches at the same time.

Here are the best myofascial release tools on the market, from foam rollers to massage guns and more. This classic active recovery tool covers a lot of ground at an affordable price. A high-density foam roller gives you the ability to apply as much pressure as you need without compromising its shape, even after heavy use.

Great for massaging the major muscle groups in your legs and back, this smooth roller uses molded polypropylene foam technology and is water-repellent. The foam roller is also made in the United States and backed by a full one-year warranty.

If you want a foam roller with a little more versatility, consider this multi-density design from Trigger Point Performance.

The varied surface of this EVA foam roller uses unique technology to help give your muscles a more targeted massage experience. The result? Lasting relief from post-exercise aches and pains. Regular sessions with a multi-density foam roller can also better prepare your muscles to stave off injuries.

Made with high-quality materials, this foam roller is built to last and hold its shape over its lifetime. It also comes with a one-year warranty. Start slow and put the body part being treated in a position of relaxation.

Apply only enough pressure for mild discomfort at most and see how you feel. You can do more or less once you see how you respond. If you typically opt for deep tissue massages when meeting with a professional, this device is a great home alternative for myofascial release.

The massage gun is lightweight, surprisingly quiet, and powerful, helping to relieve muscle soreness quickly. It also features a unique, auto-heating tip and a vibration attachment, giving you two more soothing elements to try. Simply hold the device against the targeted area, gently moving in a circular motion for no more than a minute or two before moving on to your next muscle in need. And be mindful to avoid bones, joints, tendons, and the trunk of your neck, as you can easily damage these tissues with percussive therapy devices.

Ready to take your foam rolling sessions to the next level? This device combines the powerful therapeutic effects of a massage gun with the always-effective foam roller. Its compact, cordless design and two-hour battery life make it easy to use virtually anywhere. It also features both smooth and grooved sections, giving you an all-in-one foam rolling experience.

A cult favorite of endurance athletes worldwide, The Stick Original is an excellent myofascial release tool worth adding to your collection. It features 15 rotating spindles that roll independently on the flexible center rod over the muscle area you're targeting. This design allows you to reach the entire area comfortably and release painful trigger points effectively. The stick helps prepare muscles for physical activity and enhances muscle recovery after exercise.

Fun fact: The Stick Original has won seven awards for how well it treats muscle pain and trigger points. Ergonomically designed with six treatment balls along the length of the cane, it enables you to reach any point on your back and underneath your shoulder blades easily. You can use the Thera Cane Massager from both seated and standing positions. People with a limited range of motion in their arms especially appreciate the reach it provides.

Used by doctors and physical therapists worldwide, these devices contract and release the muscle to assist with injury recovery and persistent knots. It features 24 different massage modes with 20 levels of adjustable intensity strength so you can customize the therapy you give to your muscles in need.

Two electrode pads allow you to cover a larger area simultaneously, and the rechargeable battery lasts up to 20 hours between charges. It also includes a lacrosse ball, a popular choice of physical therapists targeting everything from hard-to-reach areas on the back to hands in need of carpal tunnel relief. If you struggle with plantar fasciitis , give this foot massager from TheraFlow a try. It uses two independent rollers so you can massage both of your feet at the same time, and its unique nubs and ridges are specifically designed to help knead, stimulate, and relax the soft tissue in your feet.

The massager is also lightweight, making it easy to relocate throughout your home depending on where you want to use it, and it fits easily in a backpack for when you want to take it with you on the go. Particularly painful muscles and trigger points can benefit from cryotherapy , which is the use of cold temperatures to reduce inflammation and minimize the sensitivity of the area. So why not combine ice with myofascial release? The Cryosphere is frozen and ready to use in just two hours, remaining ice-cold for up to six hours.

The free-rolling ball in the center of the device makes it easy to use trigger point myofascial release on any part of your body that needs relief. Cold massage therapy helps encourage blood circulation and lymphatic drainage. Plus, the grip on the handheld component makes it easy to maintain control of the device as you massage your neck, shoulders, legs, and more. When you aren't finding relief from a standard foam roller, it might be time to turn to a massage tool that can alleviate pressure and tension in a deeper way.

If you don't want to spend the money on an expensive massage gun , this muscle roller deserves a spot in your recovery routine. Related: Best handheld massagers. The ROLL recovery R8 Plus is a deep tissue massage tool that clamps around your limbs which you can then roll up and down to loosen up tight muscles. I have to say that this device is fast becoming one of my favourite massage tools due to how aggressive it is.

The R8 Plus is designed to be used on the legs from the thigh all the way down to the calves. However, the R8 Plus makes massaging your calves much more effortless as all the pressure is generated from the spring mechanism. The intensity of the springs can be either increased or decreased using a dial on the frame of the R8 Plus. You also have the option of increasing or decreasing the intensity as you can purchase either softer or harder roller inserts that can be swapped out.

Overall the R8 Plus is a super alternative to a foam roller as you do not have to get on the floor to use it.

It has knobs and a grip handle which makes it easy to use with control and accuracy on your neck, arms, legs and other areas. The KOA tool is small and light making it a great option if you have to take it with you whilst travelling. The 4KOR ultimate massage balls are the perfect set if you want to try out massage balls, since they include 3 different sizes for targeting different muscles and they have great grip for better control.

Related: Best massage balls. You adjust the tool to the desired level of compression and use your hands to move it along muscles. It uses pressure and compression to release trigger points when you place it in certain positions on your body instructions are included.

Using the instructions provided, you can apply it to critical points that can relieve stress and tension throughout your entire body. Cupping therapy works through the suction of small portions of your back to draw blood and muscle tissue to the surface.

The suction created by vacuum cups breaks up stagnation, releasing the fascia and freeing tight muscles that are hugging onto bone. Silicone cups like those in the Cupping Warehouse TM Supreme set are easy to apply and remove simply by squeezing them.

Related: Best cupping therapy sets. This mini-massage gun uses the same percussion technology to massage muscles as the Theragun except that it is much smaller and portable. Its extra portability makes this ideal for taking with you on your travels and is ideal for those moments when you feel a little tightness in your muscles.

Massage roller sticks are a great tool to manually roll out your knots. The small design makes this a more portable version of a foam roller. Muscle roller sticks are a popular myofascial release tool among runners and athletes, due to how quick and easy it is to use after a run or workout session to prevent tight calves. Muscle roller sticks like the RAD Rod provide myofascial release, similar to the way a foam roller works.

Instead of rolling against the floor, however, you can simply roll the massage stick or glide it along your muscles in your hand. Related: Best muscle roller sticks. An acupressure mat is a spiky chiropractic mat you lay on that stimulates pressure points on your back that are just below your skin.

Most people with chronic back pain, neck pain and headaches who try an acupressure mat are surprised with how effectively it relieves pain, especially with regular use.

Bed of Nails is one of the best-recognized brand creating acupressure mats, and their mat comes with a carry case. Related: Best acupressure mats. This is a great idea if you want to take a foam roller with you to the gym but want to save space. Most of them have knobs that are designed to help you reach hard-to-reach trigger points on your back, neck and shoulders.

You can also use the length of the stick for myofascial release on larger muscle groups when you push it along the muscle the way a foam roller would roll. While it takes a lot of manoeuvring to achieve the correct positions for accessing the trigger points, it comes with instructional videos you can access online with your purchase. Once you get over the initial learning curve, the Body Back Buddy can easily become your go-to tool when you have stiffness or pain, because it helps you accurately target hard to reach places with pressure you can control.

Body Back Buddy and the Thera Cane are the market leaders when it comes to massage canes. Related: Best trigger point massage sticks. If you benefit from a foam roller but you wish it could release muscles and fascia in delicate, hard-to-reach areas like your shoulder blades, neck and shoulders, you may like it. Like with a foam roller, it can be painful. However, the pain lessens with regular use as your muscles and fascia heal.

The Thumb Saver massage tool provides an ergonomic grip with a thumb-shaped knob you can use to dig into tight muscles the way you would use your own hand. But Acumobility has a made a great advanced foam roller that includes a firm middle section that can encompass a body part really well. The next tool you should add to your self myofascial release tool kit is a massager stick roller.

The original massage stick began with plastic pieces and did a fairly well job, but newer tools have used a more grippy surface that I feel is far more effective. This is a great product for areas like the forearms and feet, but also areas where you want to apply more pressure than what you can with just body weight, like the quads, hamstrings, and calves. Plus, this has been the massage roller featured in many of the research reports.

In addition to foam rollers and massage sticks. Trigger point release tools are another must have addition to your self myofascial release tool kit. Essentially, these just tend to be smaller self myofascial release tools that can get into tighter areas. People have tried to make better versions of trigger point balls, but nothing beats the affordable lacrosse ball.

Great material, density, and durability. This is a great place to start. Get a couple so you can use two at once one places like your spine. Acumobility, the maker of the Eclipse Roller above, has another great tool, their Mobility Ball.

This is made from a great dense material, but has a flat bottom that allows you to keep this in one spot on the floor or even against the wall. This really helps to provide firm pressure while performing movements of the muscle group. This is a great upgrade from the lacrosse ball. Sometimes an area is hard to reach, such as your neck or back.

I would definitely consider this a speciality tool, however a very popular choice. Another speciality tool, but something that I wanted to include as I really love, is the hand and foot massage ball from Foot Rubz. This is a smaller trigger point ball perfect for the hands and feet.

You can use a lacrosse ball or even the TheraBand Massage Roller above for these areas, but I feel this is slightly better and worth it for many.

All of the above options are great choices. I would recommend getting one of each of the foam rollers, massage sticks, and trigger point tools. Together, these cover pretty much all of your self myofascial release needs.

If you are interested, I also have an Inner Circle webinar on how I perform self myofascial release. Does reaching behind the back actually reflect internal rotation of the shoulder? What the research shows, clinical Implications, and more.