Foam Rollers vs Massage Guns: Which is Best and More Effective?

Foam rollers- an old player in the market vs massage guns- new, effective and versatile; which of the two should you go for?

Whether your workout routine is deep and intense, or a yoga session of 30 minutes, you need a recovery tool to help your muscles recover and loosen up. Foam rollers have been around for a long time, but in recent years massage guns have become a serious competitor. In case you didn’t know, foam rollers are usually a tube with foam padding and have been used in the gym for eliminating muscle knots through exercises for a long time.

A massage gun, on the other hand, is a percussive therapy device capable of alleviating pain, improving your blood circulation, and making you feel relaxed. They have become an instant hit amongst people and at beatXP, the bolt massage gun has become one of the best selling products.  

So, out of the two, which one should you go for? What is the major difference between a foam roller and a massage gun? We are here to find that out. 

The Difference Between Foam Rollers and Massage Guns 

When you use foam rollers, they relax the muscles of the area they are rolled on. You can use foam rollers anytime your body feels like it. It can be the first thing you do before a workout, or you can use them while exercising. In many ways, foam roller benefits can be said to be similar to manual therapy as they interact with your nervous system, sending a message to the brain to cure sore muscles. You need to ensure you are using them correctly, and guidance from your trainer might help. 

On the other hand, massage guns use percussive therapy in order to alleviate pain caused due to sore muscles. In a way, massage guns also interact with your nervous system sending a message to eliminate the pain from the body. But these devices use different levels of pressure and speed, forcing the muscles to relax and the blood circulation to improve. Premium quality massage guns, like the beatXP bolt massage gun, are known to effectively cure delayed onset muscle soreness. 

The Benefits 

Is a massage gun better than a foam roller or vice versa? Let’s take a look at the benefits of foam rollers and the benefits of massage guns. 

Foam Rollers have been in the game for a longer period of time, and hence the research conducted on them is extensive.

Research suggests that the effectiveness of foam rollers on the muscles can be felt almost immediately, and they improve muscle flexibility and relaxation. You can use foam rollers for certain types of exercises for your shoulders, lower back, and even your legs, which are the most common stress zones of muscle spasms and soreness.

Having said that, you also need to be careful while using the foam rollers, as unnecessary nerve compression through rolling can cause pain. 

To use foam rollers, you need to literally climb on them, and hence massage guns can be said to be the practical choice.

A 2021 study revealed that massage guns are capable of providing all the benefits that a foam roller can. Additionally, the relief that you get after a 15-minute manual therapy session, you can get that within 2 minutes of using massage guns. Now, that is impressive! If you try using the bolt massage gun for a minute or two, you’ll know what we are talking about! 

Benefits of a Deep Tissue Massage, How Beneficial is beatXP Massage Gun?

You can use massage guns as a warm up or a recovery tool after an intense workout session. Also, sore muscles aren’t only caused due to workouts, sometimes an uncomfortable couch nap can result in soreness. A massage gun can be of instant relief in that case also.  

So, what do we conclude? It really depends on the individual and their choices. Foam rollers have been in the game for long, and massage guns are really new, but both have their own loyal customer base.

You always need to listen to your body and understand what makes it feel better. Massage guns are a bit more expensive and the question “are massage guns worth it” will pop up in your head but they are versatile and more practical, without doubt.

Also, massage guns help you target the exact point that has been bothering you and you can choose the speed and intensity with which you want to work on it, while with a foam roller, it might take a while to hit the right spot. Listen to your body, and choose what suits you best.