THE TWO MUST-HAVE TOOLS
Lacrosse ball
Usually made of hard rubber, a lacrosse ball is the perfect density and firmness for a massage tool, especially for the feet and hip f lexors, and some companies now market them for this purpose. (They also make special rollers designed for keeping plantar fasciitis at bay, but a lacrosse ball is likely just as good, and cheaper.) Tennis balls are too soft to be of much use, but may provide some relief in a pinch. We’ve seen lacrosse balls online for less than $5, though they are usually sold in multiples.
If you want something fancier, there are also plenty of contoured massage balls on the market; some even vibrate, and some can be heated, like a Magic Bag. Are they better? Probably not – and they’re certainly more expensive.
Foam roller
Generally used on the f loor, under your quads, glutes, and back, your foam roller does not need to be knobby to provide a benefit; your bodyweight is enough. Pro-Tec makes a 35" EVA closed-cell foam roller that’s easy to clean and retails for about $50 (pictured). Note that it’s easy to get carried away with gadgets, and there’s such a thing as overkill. You probably don’t need a deeply contoured/vibrating/ heat-emitting foam roller, for example (and such a device may even cause injury).
The R8 Plus by Roll Recovery ($ 225) is an ingenious contraption that allows easy and effective simultaneous massage-rolling of your hamstrings and quads, or your IT bands and inner thighs, while sitting on a chair, rather than on the f loor. Caveats are that, unlike a massage gun, it’s really only useful for the legs, and although it packs fairly f lat, it weighs 1. 4 kg (3 lb.). The adjustable tension knob in the R8 Plus (released in August 2021) allows greater ease of use by a variety of body types.
Stick roller
With handles at either end, a stick roller is designed to be used while sitting on a chair rather than the f loor, so you control the pressure with your arms. Unlike most stick rollers, The Stick (pictured) has a f lexible, bendable core and small rollers, which lets you bend it to your body contours and target problem areas. There are 11 different Stick models of varying lengths, weights and degrees of f lex, for athletes of different sizes and targeted body parts. They are very convenient for travelling (pictured is the Travel Stick, $35, though the other models are very packable also). You can even get one designed for pets.
The Hypervolt Go by Hyperice ($ 270) delivers 40 watts of power, which is sufficient for all but the beefiest runners, and it has a slightly more ergonomic handle than the regular Hypervolt 2. It weighs only 1.5 lb. (0.68 kg), lasts 2.5 hours on a charge, has three speed settings and comes with three plug adapters (for foreign travel) and two head attachments – because, really, how many will you actually use?
If you’re a bigger runner and looking for something a little more powerful, the Hypervolt 2 ($ 400) packs 60 watts, offers three hours of battery life and Bluetooth connectivity for use with the Hyperice app, which has suggested routines for using your device – and it now weighs only 1.8 lb. (0.8 kg).
Theragun Mini ($ 249) is compact, portable, light and quiet and will go 2.5 hours on a charge – everything you want in a massage gun. At 2.2 lb. (1 kg), Theragun Elite ($ 549) is considerably heavier and more powerful, and despite the manufacturer’s claim that it’s their quietest device, that’s not saying much (it makes quite a whirr – and the Mini is quieter). It delivers 40 pulses per second, can take up to 40 lb. of applied pressure without stalling and comes with a carrying case and five attachments. In terms of cost and size, Theragun Prime
($ 399) is the happy medium between the two. Theragun’s ace in the hole is its ergonomic, triangular handle design, which makes it easy to reach your back and shoulders without help.
The U.K. brand Ultra Recovery makes two guns: RePro ($ 489) and RePro Mini ($ 297). As with other brands, many athletes will find the Mini (which weighs 487 g/17 oz. and has four settings between 28 and 40 pulses per second) is adequate for their needs. Both offer up to four hours of battery life and come with a charger and carrying case; RePro comes with six head attachments and RePro Mini four. Additional attachments and charging pod sold separately. RePro is comparable to Theragun Elite in terms of wave depth (Theragun penetrates 16 mm, RePro 15 mm). RePro is a little quieter, but at 1.1 kg (2.5 lb.), it’s even heavier, and lacks Theragun’s ergonomic handle design.