Fitness
Breaking down the differences.
The foam roller relies on body weight to break up adhesions deeper in the muscle, he tells Bustle.
At first glance, it may seem obvious that the two tools are different.
But they actually do have a lot in common.
Heres what to know about foam rollers vs. massage guns and how to pick between the two.
What Does A Foam Roller Do?
That pressure increases blood circulation and therefore oxygen flow into your muscles for a speedier recovery.
It can also come in handy after you exercise to undo any muscle knots or help prevent soreness.
What Does A Massage Gun Do?
But one of the perks is that the intensity helpsincrease blood flowto the area being massaged.
This vibration-based massage also works toincrease your range of motiontounwind any tension or knots within your muscles.
Massage guns are great at releasing muscles in hard-to-reach areas, like thehip flexors, Scarfo says.
According to Starrett, you might also use massage guns before a workout, just like foam rollers.
Foam rollersare also more accessible price-wise.
One reason to splurge may be the fact its easier to do percussive therapy on the go.
Hughes points out that massage guns are often smaller than rollers, and thus a little more portable.
Either way, though, you wont lose.
Studies referenced:
Imtiyaz, S. (2014).
To Compare the Effect of Vibration Therapy and Massage in Prevention of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS).
J Clin Diagn Res.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3939523/
Konrad, A.
Immediate effects of self-myofascial release on latent trigger point sensitivity: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial.
