Muscle roller sticks have long been popular with runners, fitness enthusiasts, and athletes of all skill levels.
Not only are they versatile and portable, but they allow the user to pinpoint painful trigger points in order to achieve deep tissue massage and eliminate sore muscles.
But how do you choose the right massage stick for your needs?
To help you make the right choice, we’ve put together this comprehensive buyer’s guide which will look at the best muscle roller sticks on the market.
But before that, we’ll take a look at why you should be using a muscle roller stick and which features you should look for when buying one.
Why Use a Muscle Roller Stick?
Using a massage stick before, during, and after a workout has been found to offer many benefits, including faster muscle recovery, reduced muscle pain, improved flexibility, and enhanced performance.
Muscle roller sticks are also essential tools for anyone wanting to perform self-myofascial release – a deep tissue massage aimed at breaking up constricted groups of soft tissue called trigger points or knots.
It is thought that muscle rollers aid in muscle recovery by encouraging blood and oxygen to flow to the affected areas.
These self-massage tools are ideal for treating areas of the body that are difficult to massage using a foam roller such as the back, neck, shoulders, hamstrings, and calves.
What to Look for When Buying a Muscle Roller Stick
Muscle roller sticks come in a variety of designs, lengths, and densities.
The right massage stick for you will depend on the severity of the injury, your pain tolerance, and your level of activity, among other factors.
That said, there are a few basic things you should be looking for in a good massage stick.
Here are a few things to keep in mind while you shop.
Flexibility
Muscle roller sticks vary widely in terms of how flexible they are.
Some sticks have a flexible core for treating sensitive areas of the body, while others have a rigid core that is ideal for targeting deep knots in the larger muscle groups.
Length
The length of a muscle roller stick not only determines its portability, but also the parts of the body it can be used on.
Generally speaking, longer muscle roller sticks are ideal for massaging wide areas of the body, such as the back, while shorter massage sticks are perfect for targeting the calves, hamstrings, and quads.
