Best Massage Tools for Runners

Massage can be a powerful therapy for runners to help with injury recovery and prevention, and to boost your performance. While professional massages can work wonders, most runners don’t have the money or time for regular ones. But you can still get similar benefits by using massage tools such as foam rollers, sticks, and massage balls. Here are recommendations from a running coach for some of the best massage tools for runners.

TriggerPoint GRID Foam Roller

Foam rollers are one of the most popular self-massage tools for runners, and for good reason. Research has shown that regular foam rolling can help athletes with benefits such as decreased muscle and joint pain, increased circulation and flexibility, improved range-of-motion, better balance and improved gait. I’ve tried lots of foam rollers and the TriggerPoint’s GRID Foam Roller is the one that I use consistently, especially when I’m training for an endurance event.

Best for:

Tight quads, hamstrings, calves, and lower back.
Pre- and post-run warm-up and recovery.

Why It’s Great: I use it to roll through tight muscles, knots, and kinks, especially on my IT band and hamstrings. While it costs a bit more than other foam rollers, the GRID will last a lot longer.

Theragun Mini Handheld Massage Gun

Theragun’s Mini Handheld Massage Gun delivers rapid and intense pulses of pressure that penetrate deep into your muscles, offering the benefits of a deep-tissue massage without the expense. This mini massage gun is convenient, portable, and compact, but still very powerful, and is ultra-quiet.

Best for:

Warming up muscles before a run and cooling down afterward.
Deep muscle tension, particularly in larger muscle groups like the calves, hamstrings, and glutes.
On-the-go recovery, as it’s portable and easy to use.

Why It’s Great: Whether it’s your calves, quads, hamstrings, or back, you can use the massage gun to effectively address the tightness and knots that often plague runners. I love that you can choose from different speed settings and adjust the intensity to suit your comfort level, allowing you to customize your massage experience. Buy on Amazon

Selfie Massager

This Selfie Massager is a therapeutic massager that applies pressure to muscle knots to alleviate pain and promote healing. Thanks to its intuitive ergonomic design, this ultimate massage tool can be used on every part of the body from the neck to the feet. The Selfie Massager is the perfect blend of form and function, with each therapy node and spike playing a role in helping to work out muscle knots and trigger points.

Best for:

Working out knots and trigger points.
Massaging hard-to-reach areas such as your back.

Why it’s great: The curved handle is positioned at the end of the staff allowing the user all 23.5 inches of length for leverage and reach, which is especially helpful for those with limited range in mobility (often the case when dealing with a running injury!). An effective and very affordable tool, this massager gets high marks from our testers and is a favorite among runners. Buy on Amazon

The Original Massage Stick

The Original Massage Stick was specifically designed for runners to help increase flexibility, speed up recovery time, as well as reduce muscle soreness, stiffness, and pain. Similar to a foam roller, you can roll the Stick on your muscles for a self-massage. Runners find it to be particularly effective for massaging tight leg muscles.

Best for:

Specific muscle groups, such as the calves, hamstrings, and quads.
Pre-run warm-up and post-run recovery.

Why It’s Great: With its straightforward design, The Stick beginner-friendly and requires minimal instruction to use effectively. I like that it’s small enough to fit into a backpack or small suitcase, so you can easily stash it in a bag and take it along to workouts or races. There are other longer versions, as well as different levels of stiffness, so you can choose one best-suited for your needs. Buy on Amazon

Kieba Massage Lacrosse Balls

Massage balls may be small in size, but they offer a precise and targeted approach to relieving tension and promoting recovery. You can use Kieba’s Massage Lacrosse Balls to provide deep tissue massage by applying pressure to specific points on your body, allowing you to target those hard-to-reach areas that may be knotted or tight.

Best for:

Smaller muscle groups and trigger points, such as the soles of the feet and the piriformis (hip area).
Tightness in hard-to-reach areas like the upper back and shoulders.

Why They’re Great: Using a lacrosse ball against a wall or floor can help relieve tension in your feet, glutes, and even your back. They’re an inexpensive but very effective addition to any runner’s injury prevention and recovery tool collection. Buy on Amazon

TheraFlow Dual Massager Roller

If you’re like most runners and suffer from foot pain from time to time, you might want to try TheraFlow’s Dual Massager Roller. It’s designed to soothe foot and heel pain by using acupuncture/acupressure therapy.

Best for:

Foot care and recovery after long runs.
Relieving tension in the arches and soles of the feet.

Why It’s Great: It helps to release tension, improve circulation, and ease soreness from the repetitive motion of running. This roller is especially beneficial and can provide relief for those dealing with plantar fasciitis. It’s also a relaxing way to refresh tired and achy feet and improve blood flow. Buy on Amazon

Spiky Massager Roller Balls

For more relief from plantar fasciitis and other issues, these spiky massage balls and foot roller provides deep tissue massage. The spiky outer layer offers a stimulating effect, increasing circulation and improving flexibility. In addition to being effective at relieving foot pain, runners also find the massage balls helpful in dealing with a tight and sore back, shoulder, and legs, and reducing cramping in those areas.

Best for:

Reducing tightness in the back, shoulder, and legs.
Relieving tension and soreness in the arches and soles of the feet.

Why They’re Great: This versatile set is especially helpful at reaching some of the smaller areas of the back, where a larger foam roller or massage stick may not be able to effectively reach. Rolling out with these spiky roller balls relieves tension and can be a relaxing experience after a long run. Buy on Amazon

Arnica Sore Muscle Massage Oil

Arnica oil is widely known for its ability to reduce pain and inflammation, making it a go-to oil for sports massage or for individuals recovering from injury. It’s perfect for your post-run self-massages.

Best for:

Relieving sore muscles and stiff joints.
Supporting muscle recovery after physical exertion.

Why It’s Great: This 100% natural massage oil is a blend of essential oils, crafted to soothe sore, tired muscles. Designed for easy absorption, the oil leaves skin feeling nourished and hydrated, while the natural scent helps melt away tension during your post-run massage. Buy on Amazon

What Are the Benefits of Massages for Runners?

Regular massages can help runners improve flexibility, increase range of motion, reduce muscle tension and spasms, and reduce recovery time in between workouts. They can also be a relaxing way to unwind and recover from a long run or hard workout.

More Recovery and Massage Tools for Runners

Why You Should Trust Us

An avid runner, certified running coach, and fitness writer, Christine Luff, ACE-CPT is always researching and testing running gear and gadgets. Her decades of running experience and writing have helped her learn the value of using the best gear to improve comfort, safety, and performance.

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