April 13, 2023

Top 6 Foam Roller Alternatives (Including Your Significant Other)

Whether you need something quick in a pinch or want to try a new form of muscle recovery, here are our favorite alternatives to the trusty old foam roller.

Yowana Wamala

Top 6 Foam Roller Alternatives (Including Your Significant Other)

If you've ever trained hard for a race, started a new workout program with a little too much vigor or simply tried to go hard in back-to-back days at the gym, you know how limiting muscle soreness can be to peak performance. In my own fitness journey, I've found that using a self-massage tool can help me recover quicker and get back out there for another hard session. While the foam roller is my go-to, there are other great options (and some that are more travel-friendly). Below, I'll break down some of my favorite alternatives to the trusty old-foam roller.

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Lacrosse ball
The stick
Massage gun
Massage ball
Compression boots
A real massage (from a pro or your significant other)

6) Most Budget-Friendly Alternative: Lacrosse Ball

These things are a few bucks and can be found everywhere from Amazon to your local Dicks Sporting Goods (or, if you're a recovering lax bro like me, in the back of your garage). What makes the lacrosse ball a great alternative to the foam roller, besides it price and compact size, is that you can really dig deep into your muscles and get targeted relief when you use it correctly.

To get the best results with the lax ball, throw it in the freezer before a tough workout. When you're ready to use it, get down on the floor like you would with the foam roller and rock back and forth with the ball targeting the area for which you're seeking relief. Be careful not to go too deep, as these can really break up muscle tissue.

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YANSYI Massage Lacrosse Ball

Massage ball for yoga, physical therapy and deep tissue massage

$ 10.00 USD

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5) Best Foam Roller Alternative for Lower Body Massage: The Stick

The first time I used one of these I was blown away (Thanksgiving 2022 in Tewksbury, Massachusetts if you're curious). Massage sticks do a great job working the quads, hamstrings and calves, and are a bit easier to manipulate and modulate pressure on than a foam roller—sometimes the traditional foam roller only has one mode: gettin' in there deep. On other hand, the stick can provide gentler relief when you're feeling extra tender.

My favorite brand of massage sticks is unfortunately now discontinued (RIP Intracell; you were gone way too soon), but you can pick a replica of itup at Amazon or your local running store. They range from $10 for Chinese-made bargains to $40 for the original real-deal roller from Tiger Tail below.

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Tiger Tail Massage Stick

The original hand-held foam roller

$ 40.00 USD

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4) Most Effective Alternative: Massage Gun

As we get up there in price, the ease of use and efficacy also increases. Massage guns start at a few hundred dollars, but they're simple to use and extremely effective at soothing sore muscles and moving along lactic acid.

Personally, I use a Theragun Mini that my wife got me for Christmas a few years ago. The mini is great because it's packable and still packs a punch. This one has traveled with me to Texas, Cape Cod and beyond, barely taking up more space in my bag than a toiletry kit. The main downside to it is making sure it's charged up when you want to use it.

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Theragun Mini

Theragun Mini offers all the benefits of handheld percussion therapy in a convenient pocket-size.

$ 199.00 USD

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3) The Pocket-Sized Alternative: Massage Ball

This is the smallest and mightiest alternative to the foam roller. Massage balls can be as tiny as golf balls, but they're incredibly effective at targeting the specific areas that are hard to get with the large surface of the foam roller. For me, I use the massage ball to work my feet, which can get pretty sore after races or big workouts in carbon-plated running shoes.

The only downside here is making sure these guys don't walk away from you when you're not looking! (Not that I'm saying this from personal experience or anything. Don't ask me where mine is right now…) However, the benefit of them being small enough to lose is that they're also cheap enough to have a few on hand—pick up a couple and keep one in your nightstand, one t your desk and one in the freezer. Can't go wrong.

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TriggerPoint MobiPoint Textured Massage Ball

2 inch massage ball for targeted foot pain relief

$ 12.00 USD

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2) The Most Baller Alternative: Compression Boots

If you've got the big bucks to spend, compression boots are the luxurious heavy-hitting alternative to foam rollers. They work by sending compressed air through tubes attached to your legs, which mimic the sensation of getting a deep tissue massage (but without the need to have anyone actually touch you, which is nice if you're super ticklish like me).

The downside here is that these are big and bulky, expensive, and pretty impractical for all but the most serious athletes. However, you can usually try these out at a chiropractor or sports clinic if you want to experience the benefits without shelling out a band on your own pair.

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Therabody RecoveryAir JetBoots

Compression massage boots. Fully wireless air circulation muscle recovery device for complete pain relief

$ 900.00 USD

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1) The Most Human Alternative: A Real Massage

Last but not least, the hiding-in-plain-sight alternative to foam rolling is getting a real massage. You can set one up at your favorite chiropractor or massage studio—or ask a significant other to lend a hand for the job. While you probably won't be able to rely on this one for your everyday muscle relief, mixing in a real-life human massage occasionally is a nice change up from using inanimate objects, especially for those times when you have extra tightness or need relief in advance of a big competition.