Premium Body Sport Foam Roller for Muscle Recovery & Pain Relief - High Density Massage Roller for Athletes, Yoga, Fitness, Post-Workout Recovery & Physical Therapy

Great for ankle therapy. I do it dailyI bought this for my spine exercises and I have to use it on my bed because it’s too hard. It actually works ok in the bed.Honestly, it's a bit rediculous how much I like my new foam roller. As someone who works out regularly, I had gotten into the habit of taking two alieve several nights per week before bed as I just couldn't stand how bad my legs hurt from running. I tried stretching before and after and it just wasn't cutting it. That's when a trainer at our gym suggested I try the foam roller there. She said, "It's going to hurt, and I mean really hurt." As we got the roller out, I asked, "how do I know if I'm doing it right?" Her advice? You really can't get this wrong, just lay on it and roll back and forth where your muscles hurt. (If you need more direction, check out youtube.com as there are tons of videos on "How to use a foam roller"). After I used it, I noticed how immediately the muscles were losened up.But for me personally, as I workout in the AM, by bedtime my legs had really started throbbing so I needed to find a foam roller that I could use at home. This particular model is WAY cheaper than any others listed on Amazon and I can tell you it's the exact same quality as what was at the gym.Now, I use this darn thing nearly every night. I have cut back my consumption on Alieve by over 3/4 of what I was taking prior. For anyone who works out regularly, this is an absolute must.I also bought "The Stick" and that has been a life-saver too as it's super easy to use while you're watching TV etc.Good luck and hopefully this helps someone who wants to continue working out for the health benefits, but just can't stand how tight your muscles are.I am an executive assistant, and spend a lot of time sitting in front of a computer, typing and what-not. This activity causes one's shoulders to bow forward, the muscles of the chest to contract and weaken, and the back muscles to stretch and likewise weaken. Two years ago, I tried to yank open a stuck window and tore the ligaments in my chest under the breast on the right side of my rib cage. I had to go to six months of physical therapy to fix this injury, and was told that my posture at my desk, shoulders bowed, caused this problem.One of the exercises they had me doing was to lie down on a half-cylinder foam roll (exactly like the one I'm reviewing), aligning my spine along the roll (head on the roll/legs bent) for about ten or fifteen minutes or so. This would gently stretch the chest muscles as the rib cage relaxed on either side of the half-roll. Then, once the muscles were nicely stretched out, I'd do some arm and back muscle exercises using 2 lb weights (lift the weights, clench the back muscles, etc.)It's been a year since I was in physical therapy, but I found the exercises so relaxing and so beneficial to my back and chest muscles that I immediately went out and purchased this half-cylinder foam roll and I've been lying on it every other night or so since then. I do exercises, too, but feel that just lying on the half foam roll, letting gravity help stretch my rib cage and chest muscles out, is the most beneficial part of owning one of these things. (I also joined a Y and do back exercises on the rowing machine there.)I initially ordered a black closed-cell foam and it was too dense to use. This has adequate density to support my strength, but it's a tiny bit flexible. I like that it provides a modicum of feedback while performing the exercises.I lie on this for ten minutes a day and my back loves it. Place this on a mat on the floor, align your spine with it and simply lie on it for ten minutes a day and feel the improvement in your back. That gentle pressure down the middle of your back actually alieviates all of my aches and pains and I also notice I have better posture lately.This isn't very comfortable while you are actually on it, and your arms and the rest of your back that isn't touching this feel awkward, and you feel the pressure of this, but once you stop it feels so good. This is like a gentle massage down the middle of your back, with your body weight making you sink in around this, and some pretty intense pressure along the spine area.The nerves and ligaments as they come out of the sides of your vertebrae are stretched by having this pressing along your spine. That kind of stretching is something you just can't get any other way.This is excellent and an important tool in my arsenal of feel good body implements.This roller does what is supposed to do and at a great price. Just know that it is not up to the quality of Giam rollers for instance. These rollers are the same size and firmness just not quite as good. When you roll on them you can feel that they are not even in roundness. Not a big deal or deal breaker but if you have OCD you will be reminded of its oval type shape as you roll. If you are over 225 I think I would spring for a name brand as you may squish it into a non round shape. Yes it does that a little, but I dont weigh that much.Good price though and I am keeping it, flaws and all.Overall, I like this.It's long enough that I can lie down with it under my spine and gently roll from side-to-side to massage my back, loosen the muscles.I like that it is flat on the bottom so it doesn't roll away. It gives me good control over my motions when using it.I also like that it is firm but not too stiff where it would cause pain. It gives enough that it helps me create pressure slowly, in a measured way, on spots that need it.My only complaint is that it isn't very tall, so it isn't particularly useful on my neck like a full foam roller would be. It's not as versatile as a full cylinder foam roller, but the trade off is better control.This is a normal foam roller cut in half. That isn't a problem in itself as it works as intended for stretching my calfs. But the manufacturer didn't seal the edge that was cut. So now every time I use it small Styrofoam snowflakes mess up the floor.I ended up using vinyl to cover it so I don't have to vacuum after each use.