Best Foam Roller for Muscle Tightness and Tension

Foam Roller

We have been doing several articles and guides on Moving Apartments recently.  Everyone knows how stressful and physically demanding moving apartments can be.  Just the moving process in general is hard.  Not only do you have to pack up and box all of your things, but you also have to transport them, and unload everything, usually all in a day or two.  

While we can definitely help you out and save you time and money on How To Move, you are still going to be the ones doing most of the work.  That means a heavy physical load on your body.  

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A Foam Roller is a simple tool made of varying hardnesses of foam that can be used to self-massage muscles and other tissue in the neck, back, arms, legs, and face. 

There are a million ways to use foam rollers, you can find a never-ending supply of “how-to” videos on YouTube or by just doing a simple Google search, so I’m not going to focus on that.  What I AM going to do for you is tell you how to get one of the best rollers out there.  

Foam Roller For Back and Neck Pain

Carrying all of your boxes up and down flights of what seems like never-ending stairs is going to make anyone’s neck hurt.  

One of the best remedies for neck pain is to use a foam roller to work the muscles in your neck.  It can help remove tightness and soreness in the muscles and help decrease inflammation and swelling. 

If you are looking for some of the best techniques on how to use a neck roller, then check this video out.   In it, DocJenFit, one of the top fitness influencers online, walks you through not only why it’s a great idea to get a foam roller, but how to get your best use out of one.  

Foam Roller Benefits

Foam rollers are used primarily to help with inflammation of muscles, but they can also help decrease tightness and pain and increase the flexibility of your muscles after and between workouts. 

The rollers help push the toxins your body makes and stores in your muscles and gets them out to the surface where they can be taken care of and removed by your endocrine system.  

Essentially, using foam rollers on your muscles is the same principle that massage therapists use when they are working you on a table.  

Another HUGE benefit is the fact that your muscles can recover faster after a hard workout.  So not only does this mean that you are not as sore, and for a longer period of time, but it means that you can hit it hard again sooner.  And that leads to a better body, faster!  

Simply being able to work out harder a few extra times per month means you are getting SO much more value out of your gym membership…  but you only have to buy the foam roller ONCE!!  

Best Foam Roller To Buy

Recently, I was looking for a foam roller to get my apartment manager and maintenance guy as a gift.  I came across the Rollga brand and ordered one on a whim to see how it was.  I was SUPER impressed, enough to get one for ALL of my employees a couple of months later!

Standard Foam Roller

This is the highest seller for Rollga.  It has a firmness that is in between their Hard Foam Roller and their Soft Foam Roller.   This is the roller that was given the “Runner’s World Magazine Editor’s Choice” Award in 2018.   

This roller is the absolute PERFECT shape for your hand, which means you can use it even more effectively on your neck, arms, legs, or back.  It contours to the body so you are actually massaging the MUSCLES and not your bones and tendons, which can make you even sorer than you already were. 

The roller is 18 inches long, which makes it maneuverable AND penetrating at the same time.  The other great thing is being able to just toss these rollers in your bag, so if you are sitting in your car, or waiting somewhere before or after a workout, you can be working out those muscles the entire time.   

The foam is soft enough to squeeze a bit but firm enough that the company claims it can hold over 2,000 lbs without breaking or losing its shape.  

And with a price tag of around $40, there isn’t much downside to trying out this foam roller. 

Hard Foam Roller

Rollga’s Hard Foam Rollers are 25% harder than their Standard Foam Rollers.  These rollers work in the exact same way, and some people prefer a firmer feel than others, which is great, and Rollga has them covered! 

The reviews on their Hard Foam Roller, which sells for around $45, are actually better than the reviews on the Standard Roller!  Customers seem to absolutely LOVE this product and aren’t afraid to say so.   

The most mentioned feature is the way that the roller contours to the hand, while still being so firm.  People who have been through a lot of physical therapy seem to relate to the Hard Foam Rollers as being identical to the ones that were used by the professionals.  

The Hard Foam Roller only comes in black and orange, but really, what more colors do you need than those two? 

Soft Foam Roller

The Soft Foam Rollers that Rollga offers are 35% softer than the standard roller.  The consensus online seems to be divided between people who like the softer feeling rollers and harder-feeling rollers, so the reviews tend to revolve around both poles.  

But THIS is the roller you want to take a look at if softer is your thing!  Not only does it fit right to your hand, but with its greater flexibility and give, rolling this one over your legs when they are sore is like nothing else on earth!  

Several people say that they have all three firmness from Rollga and the Soft one is the one that they use the most.   

These are the same price as the Standard Rollers, which are both around $40, and I will admit that this is the one that I use the most too.  Not only because of the softness, but it’s the one that I think looks the coolest too!  Don’t quite know how to describe the pattern, just that it works on my eyes as much as the tool does on my muscles. 

Rollga makes sure you are satisfied with your foam roller as well.  They give you a 60-Day Money Back Guarantee if you are not 100% satisfied with your roller.   

I’ve never had the need to return one, but the guarantee is there if you need it.  Which makes the whole process virtually risk-free, so it may be worth it to check them out. 

Rollga Complete Set

If you are still a bit unsure as to which firmness is going to be right for you, Rollga offers you a discount on a Set of 3.  The Rollga Complete Set sells for right around $100 and is offered in several different color varieties.  

What I’ve seen a lot of people doing is buying the Complete Set, seeing which one they prefer, and then giving the other two away as gifts to family members or friends.  That makes it a win-win all around.  

One of the customer reviews mentions, “As advertised! Rollga’s unique shape with the bumped-out surface is great for working my lumpy knots far better than a flat or even textured roller. Go for the big bumps for help with your lumps!”   

At Apartment School, we are always looking to bring knowledge to anything that may help you as a renter.  These Rollga Foam Rollers are not just a great idea if you are moving and want to relax after a long day, but they are also a GREAT gift for a son or daughter or friend who is moving their dorm or apartment!!

Check out their rollers, ease some muscle aches, and have a healthier body!

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John Boettcher

Co-Founder of Apartment School and a previous renter turned owner of many multi-family properties across the United States, with many years of experience in all aspects of the apartment, real estate, and investing world.

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