The market is full of hundreds of different products. It can be hard to know what is worth your time and what is a waste of money. So, I’ve handpicked four self-myofascial release products to review for you: the Trigger Point Ultimate 6 Kit and GRID Foam Roller, the Theracane, the Power Stick, and the Acuball Kit. I chose these because of personal experience and market research.
The market is full of hundreds of different products. It can be hard to know what is worth your time and what is a waste of money. So, I’ve handpicked four self-myofascial release products to review for you: the Trigger Point Ultimate 6 Kit and GRID Foam Roller, the Theracane, the Power Stick, and the Acuball Kit. I chose these because of personal experience and market research.
I’ve used all of the products now for several weeks and am excited to report increased mobility, faster recovery after workouts, and increased performance in all my lifts. All four have some great advantages, but for most people you simply can’t afford to buy everything. Use the guide below to find out what will work best for you.
Trigger Point Ultimate 6 Kit & GRID Foam Roller
Best for: Quads, hamstrings, and IT bands using the quadballer. The footballer was best for triceps, and the massage ball for the chest.
Trigger Point Therapy started as a research project by a man named Cassidy Phillips who suffered from fibromyalgia and was looking for a cure. He searched through many different sources of therapy but was unable to find a cure to for tight muscles and constant pain. Eventually he found information on trigger points and started his own research. Cassidy developed products that would mimic the human hand and allow effective self-care. The products are high quality and feel very sturdy.
In addition to the manual, Trigger Point has a great resource online that provides the user with information. They go above and beyond to provide scientific data, and truly explain the process. It’s a well-balanced approach and the kit is the most versatile of any of the products.Trigger Point Therapy is the most expensive kit especially if you include the roller, however it gives you the greatest ability to start with self-care.
Theracane
Best for: Neck, traps, and trigger points around the shoulder blades.
The Theracane is a great product that gives you superior control to pick out specific areas and apply a great amount of pressure. The Theracane comes with an instructional manual and a DVD showing how to use the product. Rather than struggling with balls or rollers for small areas the Theracane’s unique construction allows you to reach those hard to hit areas. It has six different massaging points allowing you a wide variety of options to tackle your neck, back, arms, and legs. You can use the hook to address your neck, back, and hips. The other points are great for hip flexors and triceps.
Your neck and traps are by far the most difficult areas to address by yourself, and Theracane is the perfect answers for these spots. This is highly recommended if you do a lot of upper body work, specifically overhead presses. The Theracane is tougher to use to address the feet, calves, quads, and hamstrings. The shape allows you to pack the Theracane in your luggage or strap it on a backpack for easy travel.
Power Stick
Best for: Calves and tibia, providing better relief here than any other product. Also good for quads, hamstrings, and neck.
The Stick is one of the oldest products on the market and still very successful. The first Stick product was originally marketed to runners, but they have since expanded into a full line of differentiated products that can address everyone’s needs. I am 6’1” and weight 190lbs, so I was sent the Power Stick. This version of the product is a bit longer than the original Stick and also stiffer. It allows you to use greater pressure and access deeper areas. This product is backed by years of research showing its safety and efficacy. It is directly linked with improved recovery and therefore superior performance.
The Stick can be used for the legs, back, traps, and neck. It is tougher for those with limited shoulder mobility to address the upper body. The Stick does allow smooth rolling for the lower body and neck. This allows you more fluid movement and to quickly work out muscles with an active motion, versus the static acupressure that other products provide. This is great for after a run or a workout, allowing your legs to feel fresh like you’ve received a professional massage.
Acuball Kit
Best for: Improving posture and opening up spinal mobility. Access foot trigger points with the Acuball-mini.
The Acuball Kit comes with an Acuball and Acuball-mini, as well as a 60-minute DVD and the Feel It? Heal It! book. The Acuball is the only product on the market that is designed for acupressure or self-myofascial release and is able to be heated. It may be microwaved or placed in boiling water. This heat helps to release tight muscles and restricted fascia. The DVD takes you step-by-step through how to use the Acuball and Acuball-mini from head to foot.
My favorite part of the DVD is that it explains systematically how to use the product, what it should feel like, and provides a realistic expectation of recovery times. Many products promise not only instant relief but to have you operating normally in no time. Dr. Cohen mentions several times that our bodies have taken years of stress that can take up to several months to correct. He discusses how to slowly incorporate the healing process into your routine and slowly advance the intensity of the acupressure. If you visit the website you have the ability to purchase the entire kit, any of the individual components, and also a Deluxe Acuball Kit which includes two Acuballs and two Acuball-minis. This allows you to have a pair at home and one for the road.
Summary
All of the products have proven to be useful and I’ve listed the areas I have found them best used for. If you have the money to buy all four of the products, you won’t be disappointed by any of them. If you need to choose, then pick the area that will get you the most bang for your buck. Take time to detail out your trouble areas and select the product that’ll help you address them most directly so you can get back to training hard.