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Foam rolling helps keep muscles loose and flexible so you can perform at your best every single time.

There’s a love-hate relationship when it comes to foam rollers. They’re both the best and worst things to happen to your muscles before or after a workout. While they can be painful at times when used correctly (and occasionally downright excruciating), foam rolling is still a simple, low-effort way to improve muscle recovery. Even light, everyday use of a foam roller can help keep your muscle soreness at bay.

But will rolling across just any foam instrument do the trick, or is there more to this effective yet intense practice? Before we stretch into the best foam rollers and massage devices available today, let’s go behind the curtain and see if this practice is worth the aches and energy.

The idea behind foam rolling, despite popular stereotypes, is not self-torture but rather self-myofascial release or SMR. This studied modality has been shown to help relieve muscle soreness and inflammation by breaking uptightness in your muscle fibers and promoting greater blood flow to the targeted area.

“Foam rolling is an application of force to the muscle. We naturally get knots, or ‘adhesions’ to the muscle, solely through movement,” says Charlee Atkins, CSCS, Master SoulCycle instructor and movement and mobility specialist. Essentially, this means the more you move, whether through cardio-based modalities like running or strength-centric workouts, the more your muscles can benefit from this added force, leaving you well and ready to take on more training sessions time and time again.

In theory, foam rolling can be an effective fitness tool whenever you decide to use it. In pre-workout scenarios, foam rolling can help loosen tight muscles and increase tissue elasticity, resulting in a better range of motion as you work through your day’s exercises and modalities. It can also be a low-effort way to activate slumbering muscles, much like how you’d use a massage gun to jumpstart these targeted areas.

While we are fans of pre-workout foam rolling, we believe the most effective way to use a foam rolling device is in post-workout scenarios. This can significantly enhance your recovery time by stimulating blood flow to targeted muscle groups and increasing oxygen levels to sore muscles. Is it the most welcome discipline, especially after a grueling strength training regimen? No. Is it worth the aches and time? In our opinion, yes.

We take our recovery very seriously and as such, have had plenty of experience with foam rolling over the years. Over multiple weeks, we utilized these top picks to keep our muscles at the ready for plenty of engaging exercise routines. We noted key features, including how comfortable each device felt across specific muscle groups, how convenient they were in addressing tired problem areas, how portable they were and other qualities. Bonus points were also awarded for versatility and overall looks because let’s face it, foam rolling’s already a tough sell, so it helps when the product looks more inviting than just a blank tube of EVA.

If you want pinpoint relief in a lightweight frame, look no further than this impressive “Everyday” roller from Rolla. We found the contoured design easily placed all the emphasis on the muscles rather than bone, especially when it came to back and lower body treatment. Plus, the lightweight, 18-inch frame is easy to maneuver as you roll from head to toe. While we’re still unsure of the heat-sealed EPP foam’s durability over extended use, at less than $45, we’d be happy with replacing this roller if it ever comes down to it.

Two rollers for the price of one? Sign us up. The Double Roller features two varying textures designed to target different muscle groups — the softer exterior can help with arm and leg releases, while the firm interior features a more aggressive pattern for the back. Cleaning this EVA foam-based roller is a breeze, too; just a simple wipe down and you’re ready to go. Just be sure to keep all parts together when targeting arms and legs. The exterior shell has some rigidity to it, but not enough to support your body weight, so the insert is required to reap the most benefits.

Simple and to the point, this 36-inch foam roller is a testament of quantity and quality. We were happy with the expanded coverage, allowing us to roll out our lower back and shoulders without much maneuvering, and appreciated the mildly dense foam construction. Also, the lack of texture creates an even pressure sensation during rolls, which can be a good starting point for novices. Some athletes have stated that overuse can lead to warpage over time, but at just $30, you’re not breaking the bank with this effective piece of recovery equipment.

You probably recognize this textured foam roller and for good reason. The TriggerPoint GRID 1.0 is a great introduction to foam rolling due to its lightweight frame, hollow construction for better shape retention and firm yet comfortable foam. This was the first foam roller we ever owned and enjoyed how easy it was to target varying muscles without a lot of intense, unwelcome pressure. With that said, though, the shorter profile isn’t the best for back and shoulder releases, so you may want to consider longer options if these are your main sticking points.

Editor’s Note: If you’re enamored with the feel of the GRID 1.0 but desire a longer foam roller, consider the GRID 2.0, which features the same textured exterior at a taller 26-inch profile.

Want your foam rolling to have a little more grit? Step up to the intense traction of the RumbleRoller Firm. This monster truck tire of a recovery tool features a denser foam than its predecessor while still keeping those easily-recognizable nubs across the rolling surface. We like the RumbleRoller Firm for those midweek rolls where staying fresh from day to day is an absolute must. With that said, however, it took some time to become accustomed to the more aggressive nature built into this roller. It’s best to ease into the RumbleRoller, and instead, get used to foam rolling with a less intense model first.

Vibration therapy is a popular recovery modality, most often showcased in massage guns. That doesn’t mean your foam rolling sessions can’t shake things up, too. We really enjoyed the compact design of the Vyper Go, as the contoured shape fit perfectly across our thighs, calves and feet for enhanced myofascial release. Plus, the Vyper Go can be paired with Hyperice’s companion app for guided recovery sessions that don’t require any toggling or fussing. This smaller, TSA-approved roller is on the shorter side, however, which may limit how many muscle groups you can target. For example, we found it somewhat difficult to truly unlock our lower back and shoulder areas across its more compact frame.

Foam rollers can be great, effective fitness tools, but their cylindrical shapes aren’t the most portable. This foam roller from Brazyn Performance takes the traditional model and literally reshapes the landscape with a collapsible frame that fits easily in a gym bag or luggage. We admire the innovative profile and quite frankly have yet to travel without it, but the Morph is not without its flaws. For one, the Morph features a softer foam than other rollers on this list, which might feel too plush for some enthusiasts. Also, the corrugated foam panels that allow for compact storage can feel awkward across the skin, especially if your shirt gets hung up in-between panels.

For lower body aches and pains, sometimes you just need a quick reprieve instead of getting down on the ground and diving into a full rolling session. This is where massage sticks can be a great option, and there’s none better than the Original Tiger Tail. We liked the comfortable, ergonomic grips at each end, allowing us to fine-tune the pressure placed across our calves, thighs, neck and more. We used this rolling pin-like accessory mostly after a long run or hike and thoroughly enjoyed the on-the-spot treatment. Like a traditional rolling pin, though, the Tiger Tail is best used with two hands. You can target single-hand areas, but it requires some awkward propping and adjustments, which take some practice to master.

Massage balls can be fantastic for smaller areas like the feet for relieving any muscle tension, and the Wave Solo brings all of today’s tech breakthroughs to this small, handheld silhouette. About the size of a baseball, this roller features a wave-textured exterior for exceptional traction and three customizable vibration frequencies for an added zest of relief. The Wave Solo can also be paired with the Therabody app for guided sessions. Be mindful, though, of the flat face where the button toggles reside. This gives the exterior a lip and might not roll as seamlessly as a traditional lacrosse ball.

Massage balls are great for pinpointing particular knots and aches, but they aren’t the easiest to navigate in the upper body. Oftentimes, you need to sandwich the ball between you and a wall, and pressure needs to be maintained, which can be a bit of a burden. This mountable Vertiball takes those headaches away, and we found the smooth, dense roller to be a blessing across our shoulder blades and scapula. Plus, the suction does give this device a firm footing, provided you mount it to a flat surface. We tested the Vertiball on some textured walls in our abode and found it lacked the contact needed for that lockdown placement.