Shin Splint Roller | Calf Roller for Muscles | Shin Massager for Runners | Leg Roller Stick - Blue Elite Hard,17"

For the price, it is simply an excellent product.Yes, the rings around the bar are HARD, extremely durable plastic. The nubs on the rings are perfect for finding trigger points in smaller, thinner muscle groups, (I am 6'2", 220 lbs, I bodybuild with high reps, low intensity). It works GREAT on my arms and forearms which is exactly why I got it.You should be familiar with aggressive foam rolling and how to do that SLOWLY and patiently. This is NOT for rolling over muscle tissue fast, don't do that, you won't get much out of that except frustration and occasionally "OUCH".Start with medium pressure, and roll SLOW until you find a trigger point, for example on the back of the arm, near the elbow, where the tendons of your triceps cross the bicep tendons as they attach to the elbow. Find that trigger point and sit right on it ... gently ... roll a tiny bit off, and then across it, and then back onto it ... hold ... breath several deep breaths ... roll off the other way, repeat. Once you are accustomed to the roller, then you can roll a little faster and in larger swaths for a greater, general myofacial release across larger swaths of muscle.Always go SLOW. This is a great opportunity to enjoy neuromuscular feedback from your muscles, especially those that are sore.Yeah, it HURTS, especially at first and it should be uncomfortable, you are pressing into constricted muscle tissue which has poor blood flow, massaging it and bringing more blood flow to the muscle. With patience and regularity you will get accustomed to it, and sooner or later, you'll literally be laughing with relief as you roll the muscle tissue. You will literally be giggling and laughing.Again, for the money, it is extremely durable, well made, the plastic/hard-rubber grips don't stink, they are well made from quality material. Don't drop this on a hard floor, the rings might crack or break, they are that hard.There is one that is softer, less aggressive, start with that one. You can roll your quads, and the sides of your legs, (IT band). It is quite effective at rolling the hamstrings when they are in a relaxed position, (reach under your legs while sitting, or while sitting on the floor with legs in front of you).You can be creative.Rest one end on the top of a dresser, a tall bureau, hold the other end with the left hand, place the tricep on the stick and roll the tricep. Roll slow, in one inch, to two inch movements. Close your eyes, LISTEN with your mind/body for the spots that need attention, hold on them, breath while holding.Seated, you can roll the forearm. Place one end UNDER a tabletop while seated, hold the other end, put the forearm under the stick and roll the top of the forearm by moving the forearm, get it right on the muscle, press firmly, roll in ONE INCH movements, very slowly.You can do a lot more that what is suggested. Roll your calves while seated, it's awesome after you roll the knots out and get accustomed to the stick you can roll the HECK out of your calves. Excellent for the back of the neck, be gentle at first and GO SLOW, find the hurty spots, work them gently. Don't go to town on your neck on the first day, or week, or month, be careful on your neck. It feels great on my traps.Stand, hands behind your back, put it under your glutes, experiment with a mixed grip, PULL UP SLOW and STOP in the middle. Work your lower sides, the love handles.It's a GREAT product and extremely durable.While you are stretching yourself to roll, you increase your flexibility.ADVANCED:Hold one end in your right hand. Put the stick behind your back, arm behind your back, point the stick up to your left shoulder. Reach the LEFT hand over the left shoulder, grasp the other end of the stick and pull it tight against your upper back, your rhomboids and traps, roll in VERY SMALL movements, very slowly. Switch arms. After doing this for a month, just a little each day, you will gain tremendous flexibility in the shoulders and your upper back will benefit enormously, especially if you like to deadlift.

About the product:This roller works pretty much for what it is. I used it to roll out knots and sore spots in my legs and back. But it also works great for feet. I will caution you though because of the way the rollers are designed, it is not the most comfortable method. Good overall quality and function. The color is nice and bright and the rubber parts really do get out knots. These are really great to use after a long hard leg day at the gym. Come home, lay on a yoga mat or the couch and massage your legs by rolling this up and down. It really helps prevent gym day soreness the day after! I’ve been very impressed with ours . Great product and works as intended.About Me:I’m a college student who loves reviewing products so others can figure out what sucks and what rocks! I’m not paid or bribed to do reviews, but I often do reviews in exchange for getting discounts on products such as this one. Since I’m newly married, I enjoy trying out new kitchen products and incorporating them into cooking.If you have any comments or questions, please ask!!!

I have fibromyalgia, so I constantly deal with bizarre muscle cramps and aches, and when they're in my back, it's hard to reach them. I have a Thera Cane (check them out here on Amazon) that helps when I'm standing up or sitting forward in a chair, but if I'm in a recliner, I've had to get creative - tennis balls, etc. But I've found that this is a great tool to prop horizontally behind me because it stays put. It's long enough that I can reach back and move it up and down in order to change to a different point. I love it, and I actually leave it on the side of my chair so it's always available when I sit down.Another great use is to smack myself on my thighs. I know that sounds crazy, but when you're fighting pain in a thigh muscle, smacking it often helps. I've used a rolling pin... but this is even better, because we won't be using this thing to roll out dough. ;~)All-in-all, this is a great little tool. Great purchase.

This is a decent massage roller, but be aware that it might not be the best choice for thin people. I'm 8 months pregnant and I was pretty eager to get this to save my sweet husband's hands or even to self-massage my pregnancy back pain, and while it works, I immediately discovered that the very hard plastic material is quite painful if you're not careful and you've got a very bony back like me. There is zero flex in the roller bar and the plastic is an extremely hard material, and I found myself wishing I had a layer of "insulation" (either a little more meat on my bones or something thicker than a t-shirt) between me and the roller. I like very firm pressure in massage, yet using the massager in this way grates against my spine and ribs and almost neutralizes any benefit. We'll keep trying to see if it can be improved through technique, but if not I might seek out a similar product with a foam covering instead, if such a product exists. I'm also not terribly wild about how noisy / clunky the massager is from the rollers striking each other with any tilting motion, but that's a small complaint for the price. All things considered, I do consider the roller useful and I'd love to try it out during labor (bonus that it seems like it will be waterproof for use in a birth tub). Nothing beats a strong pair of hands, but if all else fails, I'm sure my husband will enjoy having it around for when I give him massages.

Works well if you have someone to message the back of your legs. If you don't it's not easy. You can message the front of your legs but messaging your legs and maybe your neck if you are flexible is about all you can do with it. Maybe more if your creative.