The Best Vibrating Foam Rollers

Foam rollers have become increasingly popular amongst gym-goers. They’ve also been a vital part of physiotherapy and athletic training for years. You might be asking yourself why they are so important?

Well, foam rolling is a great way to warm up muscles before a workout or recover post-workout, which is essential for increased flexibility and motion. Recently, foam rollers have evolved to offer even more benefits to their users by providing a vibrating feature.

In this article, we’ll talk in detail about the best vibrating foam rollers, whether they are worth it, and what to consider before purchasing one.

What Does a Vibrating Foam Roller Do?

Regular foam rolling has many benefits. While vibrating rollers share these benefits, they also have a few additional ones. So what do the two types of rollers have in common? Let’s discuss some of their shared advantages.

Myofascial Release

The most important effect that foam rollers have is myofascial release. Myofascial pain is a result of tightness in myofascial tissues and originated from trigger points. These trigger points are targeted by the rollers causing the myofascial tissue to release a lubricating liquid.

In turn, the lubrication of the muscles reduces soreness, tightness, and knots. Additionally, it’s a good preventative measure against injury during a workout and helps improve flexibility.

Faster Recovery

Foam rollers, if used correctly, increase blood flow to the muscles. An increased blood supply increases muscle recovery and healing from exercise, injury, or lactic acid build-up.

As we previously mentioned, vibrating foam rollers also have some additional benefits. These include:

Pain Management and Relief

Foam rolling can sometimes be painful, especially on muscles that are already sore and tight. These areas are likely to be inflamed and tender to the touch. Vibrations can aid in the reduction of trigger point sensitivity.

Preparing to Workout

Vibration can lead to a loosening of the muscles. This can be beneficial prior to a workout. The vibrations stimulate the muscles in a similar way to the stimulation caused by exercise. Oxygen is then transported to the muscles.

A study suggests that vibration massages pre-workout reduce the amount of muscle damage during a workout. The study also implies that performance is enhanced and recovery time decreases.

Is a Vibrating Foam Roller Better Than a Regular One, and Is It Worth It?

For people who are new to myofascial release items, vibrating rollers may not be the best place to start. Beginners should start with a regular foam roller in order to establish an understanding of how myofascial release feels.

Having prior experience with myofascial release will help reduce sensitivity to pain. Furthermore, regular foam rollers are less expensive, because they don’t have the extra technology that’s built into the vibrating rollers.

On the other hand, using vibrating foam rollers leads to temporary pain relief. This may be useful if using a regular foam roller is too uncomfortable and prevents you from adequately massaging the muscle.

A vibrating roller achieves better muscle repair because it can provide more intense deep tissue massage. However, both vibrating and regular rollers need to be used for the same length of time. Despite the temporary relief, relieving the pain originating from the muscle requires massaging the tissue under pressure for a longer duration.

These products are great for pre-workout preparation and post-workout recovery. The dual action of the vibrating foam rollers can often lead to better results.

However, if you don’t experience significant discomfort with a regular roller, a vibrating roller may not be worth the steeper price point.

A Guide to Purchasing a Vibrating Foam Roller

Foam rollers come in many shapes and sizes. In addition to the different sizes, densities, and textures, vibrating foam rollers have varying tech specs. These specifications usually relate to vibration speed.

There are many options out there. Here are a few things to consider before purchasing your vibrating foam roller.

What’s the right size for you?

The size of your roller can depend on many factors. Each size is designed to target a specific muscle. For example, a 36-inch roller is the most ideal for the lower body (glutes or legs) and back. The standard diameter for most rollers is 5-6 inches.

However, if you’re targeting neck muscles or shoulders, you may opt for a roller with a smaller length and diameter. People who want to work the muscles of their arms and legs tend to pick 24-inch rollers.

Another factor that should be kept in mind when picking a size is travel. If you plan on traveling with your roller, a smaller one will be required to fit in your suitcase. In this case, a 12-inch roller would be the best option.12-inch rollers are recommended to those suffering from plantar fasciitis to roll on their feet.

How Firm Should the Vibrating Foam Roller Be?

Another aspect that you should consider is how firm your roller should be. Generally, the harder the roller, the more vigorous the massage will be. It’s our recommendation that beginners start with a softer roller and work their way up once they gain more experience.

Most of the time, the rollers are color-coded according to their firmness. The softest rollers are made of open-cell polyethylene foam and are usually white. Rollers made of EVA foam are of medium hardness. These are often green or blue. The hardest rollers are made of closed-cell polyethylene and are black.

It’s important to note that there are some exceptions to the color-coding system. Therefore, it’s better to check what material the roller is fabricated from before making a purchase.

The Vibrations

The faster the roller vibrates, the more the muscle tissue is stimulated. This increases the blood flow to the targeted muscle. Therefore, the higher the vibrating setting, the higher the intensity of the massage

A slow vibration will be less stimulating but more manageable for beginners.

Some rollers have adjustable vibration settings. These are more versatile. If you are planning on increasing the intensity gradually, they also reduce the number of rollers you need to buy.

Surface Texture

The texture of a roller also impacts the intensity of the massage. There is a large variability in the depth, location, and frequency of the ridges on the roller’s surface. A surface with pointier and more frequent ridges can be more painful as it digs deeper into the muscles. However, the deeper penetration into the muscle tissue often means they’re better at locating hidden trigger points.

What is the best vibrating foam roller?

There are many vibrating foam rollers on the market. Deciding which roller to buy can be difficult. Therefore, we’ve compiled a list of the three best foam rollers out there.


1.    Hyperice Vyper 2.0 High-Intensity Vibrating Fitness Roller

The Hyperice Vyper 2.0 is considered to be one of the best vibrating foam rollers available for purchase. It reduces muscle tightness and soreness while speeding up the muscle recovery process.

This model stands out because it causes an up to 40% increase in flexibility and motion range if used correctly. Most foam rollers only lead to an increase of approximately 18%.

Additionally, this roller comes with three vibration settings. This allows users to customize the intensity of the therapy they undergo.

This foam roller is perfect for travelers or people who work out in slightly confined spaces because it’s compact. It’s also extremely durable.

However, it’s a more expensive option when compared to other rollers. Another downside to this roller is that the battery life is relatively short.

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2.    Theragun Wave Roller

The Theragun Wave Roller is 12 inches long and has five vibration settings. It enables users to control the intensity of the massage. Additionally, the Theragun has a three-hour battery life and can be charged wirelessly, making it more convenient.

Unlike other rollers with high vibration settings, the Wave Roller is produced using high-density foam which keeps the noise level to a minimum.

This model stands out because it has unique Bluetooth features which allow users to connect it to the Theragun app.

Despite being more comfortable than the longer version, it may be too short for some users. Users who need longer rollers might want to opt for a different model. It’s also on the pricier side, but it’s definitely worth the money.

Therabody Wave Series Wave Roller - High Density Foam Roller for Body and Large Muscles. Bluetooth Enabled Muscle Foam Roller with 5 Customizable Vibration Frequencies in Therabody App
  • Maximize Surface Area for a Full Body Relief - The Wave Roller combines vibration with innovate wave foam texture to deliver a complete, full-body foam rolling experience. The Waveroller is a perfect companion to our category leading Theragun percussion massage guns.
  • What’s Included - Wave Roller (12"x5"), Protective Carrying Pouch, Power Adapter. This device is equipped with a 12V internal Lithium-ion Battery that has a 180 minutes of total life.
  • Revolutionary Technology - The Wave Roller device has 5 powerful vibration intensity settings that can be adjusted to your comfort level via the Therabody App to help release soreness, reduce tension, and increase range of motion.
  • Innovative Wave Texture - Made with hypo-allergenic EVA high-density foam for advanced sound insulation. Designed with innovative silicone wave grooves to add an additional dimension of pressure to the muscle, while providing superior traction control.
  • Industry Leader - Therabody's been innovating ways to take charge of your daily wellness for over a decade with products like Theragun, TheraFace facial treatments, RecoverAir Leg compression, Wave Series rollers, and PowerDot muscle stimulation.

3.    LifePro Surger 4-Speed Vibrating Foam Roller

The LifePro Surger is a more affordable vibrating roller. It also has a long battery life and four different vibration settings.

Unlike most rollers, this model has different roller texture parts. As previously mentioned, these provide different intensities and allow the user to customize their therapy.

Since it’s less than a foot long, the roller is compact, making it suitable for travel. It also comes with a lifetime warranty.

However, even the highest vibration level may not be on par with some of the other models on this list. Despite the lower vibration level, it still provides a high level of relief to the user.

Another issue that may accompany this device is that the vibration intensity weakens with usage despite the rechargeable battery.

Overall, this model is affordable and a good choice for beginners who may not need high-intensity levels.

LifePro 4 Speed Vibrating Foam Roller for Physical Therapy & Exercise - High-Intensity Vibrating Roller for Muscle Recovery & Pliability Training - Back Roller for Deep & Gentle Trigger Point Therapy
  • MOBILITY & FLEXIBILITY ENHANCEMENT: Our cutting-edge massage roller improves your muscle flexibility & performance before and after weightlifting, cardio, or any other exercise for maximum results.
  • THE MUSCLE RECOVERY YOU CAN FEEL: The powerful motor of our electric foam roller massager delivers high-penetration relief and rolls out tightness to make sure your body is prepared to excel and stay injury-free.
  • REVITALIZATION & BETTER BLOOD CIRCULATION: A high density foam roller relieving the tension in your muscles and promoting blood circulation so you can sense faster recovery & effectiveness boost.
  • EASY & PORTABLE SOLUTION: Designed for your convenience, our muscle roller comes with a drawstring bag making it easy to carry so you can work out wherever & whenever you wish.
  • SUPERIOR VIBRANT MASSAGE: Our powerful vibrating foam roller has 4 vibration frequency levels so you can select your favorite intensity level and feel the relief & fast recovery you need.

In Conclusion

In conclusion, vibrating foam rollers have an increased level of intensity than regular rollers. They reduce pain and increase flexibility through myofascial release. They also increase blood flow to the muscles thereby improving performance and reducing recovery time. Vibrating rollers are good pre and post-workout steps to add to your routine.

There are lots of things to consider before buying a vibrating roller. You must take into account the length, diameter, texture, vibration intensity that’ll give you the best results. The varying lengths are usually specific to the muscle the roller is targeting. Shorter rollers are usually used for smaller muscles. They are also easier to travel with due to their compact nature.

Beginners, who’ve never tried self-myofascial release, should start with a softer roller and the lowest vibration setting. Once you’ve grown accustomed to the intensity, feel free to increase the intensity gradually. This method also increases the users’ discomfort tolerance.

Once you’ve experienced the vibrating roller’s benefits, you’ll keep them as a constant part of your workout routine. There are many different vibrating rollers on the market. We recommend the Theragun Wave Roller, since it has a long battery life, many vibration settings and noise reduction features.

Other Buying Guides to Help You Pick the Best Foam Roller for You

Check out these very helpful buyers guides directed at helping you to decide which foam roller is best for you and your unique needs.

Last update on 2024-02-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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