Upgrade Your Recovery Routine With the Best Foam Rollers

What We’ve Updated

• Since our initial tests, we’ve been using these foam rollers regularly for months and collecting additional observations on their design and performance. Based on this long-term testing, we recently added more insights to this article. 
• We consulted five new experts (including physical therapists and fitness trainers) to make sure our advice on choosing and using a foam roller is still up to date.
• We’ve updated our Key Specs throughout this article to include the density of each foam roller. This information is important to know as you’re considering which roller is right for you based on your level of experience. 
• We’ve also shortened our list of recommendations to only highlight the best foam rollers we tested that are currently in stock at reputable retailers. 

How to Choose the Right Foam Roller

Overwhelmed by all the options? Here are a few key factors to consider when choosing the right foam roller:

• Your Goals: Find a foam roller that meets your health and fitness goals, recommends Steineman. If you’re struggling to define your goals or to find the right roller, consider consulting your physician or physical therapist. 
• Pain Points: Sherman advises using a larger foam roller to target larger muscle groups like your quads, hamstrings, or glutes. When you want to focus on one specific muscle or a smaller area, she suggests using a smaller roller or a model with a more abstract shape. “The bumps of textured foam rollers get deeper, going in and out of the muscle as opposed to the gentle fashion of smooth rollers—providing more intense massage-like pressure,” says fitness expert Denise Chakoian.
• Experience Level: Beginners should look for a softer roller, says Sherman. Once you’ve mastered the basics, you can branch out into denser rollers with different shapes and patterns, she explains.
• Materials: Make sure your foam roller is made from materials that can easily be cleaned using an antibacterial wipe, says Chakoian—she recommends polypropylene. 
• Portability: If you want to bring your foam roller to the gym or on your travels, look for one that’s easily portable. Some foam rollers are collapsible, notes Steineman. Most rollers that are 12 inches or shorter are easy to travel with, says Kelly Bogowith, PT, DPT, a board-certified clinical specialist in orthopedic physical therapy and certified strength and conditioning specialist. For more compact options, Sherman suggests half rollers or massage balls.

How to Use a Foam Roller

We tapped our experts for some quick tips to help you get started foam rolling.

• You can use a foam roller before and after exercising, according to our experts. 
• Depending on your workout routine, you may need to foam roll a few times a week or every day, says Bogowith. 
• Try to maintain your balance—and watch your posture, Sherman says. 
• You only need to roll each area for about two minutes, notes Bogowith. 
• Do not use a foam roller on an open wound, bone fracture, or other acute injury, says Theresa Marko, PT, DPT, MS, a board-certified clinical specialist in orthopedic physical therapy. If you experience pain from foam rolling, stop and speak with your doctor or physical therapist.

How We Tested the Foam Rollers

To find the best foam rollers, we’ve researched and tested 27 models from top, trusted fitness brands. For seven days, we completed a series of self-myofascial release drills recommended by a certified physical therapist to test each foam roller. We rolled our calves, quadriceps, hamstrings, IT bands, glutes, and more. As we continue to test these and other foam rollers, we evaluate each product based on the following criteria:

• Effectiveness: Does the foam roller work as advertised? We prioritize foam rollers that can successfully target and loosen painful knots. If the roller has any special features, like vibration or heat, we make sure to test those and note whether they add to our experience.
• Comfort: Does the foam feel too soft, too hard, or just right? It is awkward to use, or can we target most muscle groups easily? If the roller has any texture, ridges, or grooves, we also note how those help or hurt our relaxation. 
• Ease of Use: Do we have to set the foam roller up, or can we use it right out of the box? We also consider how intuitive the roller is to use. Are the instructions clear or confusing? If the roller has any vibration or heat settings, can we turn them on and adjust them easily? 
• Overall Value: To accurately assess each foam roller’s value, we don’t check the price until the end of the testing period, after we’ve evaluated it in all other categories. Based on our experience, do we think the roller is priced fairly? Or would we only buy it if it went on sale? We also ask ourselves whether we’d recommend the roller to our friends or family. 

Our Experts

We consulted experts at every stage while researching and reporting this story. Some, like Steineman, Bogowith, Krupa, Chakoian, and Sherman, taught us what to look for when shopping for a foam roller and how to use one to effectively release muscle tension. Others, like McKenzie, helped us understand who can benefit from using a foam roller and how often you should use one. And some, like Marko and Brandi Edwards, PTA, helped us design and refine our testing process. Although we choose products independently, input from experts influences our choices.

• Craig Steineman, PT, DPT, CSCS, orthopedic physical therapist at Corewell Health Physical Therapy
• Kelly Bogowith, PT, DPT, board-certified clinical specialist in orthopedic physical therapy, certified strength and conditioning specialist, and lead of rehab services at OSF St. Anthony's Health Center in Alton, Illinois
• Kyle Krupa, DPT, CSCS, physical therapist, certified strength and conditioning specialist, and founder of KRU PT + Performance Lab
• Sydney Sherman, NASM-CPT, CFSC, certified personal trainer and functional strength coach in New York
• Denise Chakoian, fitness expert and founder of CORE Cycle Fitness Lagree
• Noelle McKenzie, CPT, co-founder of Leading Edge Personal Trainers
• Brandi Edwards, PTA, physical therapy assistant in private practice in Virginia
• Theresa Marko, PT, DPT, MS, board-certified clinical specialist in orthopedic physical therapy

Frequently Asked Questions

Is foam rolling good for injuries? 

Yes, foam rolling is good for injuries—it may even be more effective than massagers. In a comprehensive review of foam rolling on performance and recovery, researchers found that foam rolling reduced muscle pain perception and foam rollers offered better effects on recovery of strength performance than roller massagers. Just make sure you’re not rolling over an acute injury, says Bogowith.

Does foam rolling help muscle growth? 

Not directly. But when added to your recovery routine, foam rolling can help prepare your muscles for your next workout session, says Sherman. By boosting recovery after strength-building exercises, foam rolling allows your body to get back to improving your performance faster. 

How long should a foam roller last? 

It depends on how high-quality your roller is and how well you care for it, says Sherman. Most high-quality rollers will last anywhere from one to three years, according to Krupa—he says you’ll know it’s time to replace it when you start noticing indents and it doesn’t roll smoothly anymore. 

Why Trust Verywell Fit

Michelle Parente is an experienced fitness writer who is passionate about making great product recommendations. As a fitness enthusiast, Michelle believes in the power of movement and recovery, including how high-quality home gym equipment can truly elevate your workout routine.

Additional reporting by Jenna Clark

Jenna Clark is a freelance commerce writer for Verywell Fit. When she’s not writing, you can usually find her in the gym working on strength training and taking advantage of the foam rollers available next to her favorite machines. For this shopping guide, Jenna prioritized foam rollers that were both recommended by our experts and tested by Verywell Fit editors.