Had mine about 5 days now and it is pretty much been a miracle for my hip pain. I've tried every mob, lacrosse ball and band distraction trick on KStarr's blog for the better part of a year now with minimal effect (if you don't see change there is no change, he says. well, I've had minimal change) I've tried massage, PT and Egoscue. This little booger got me off my 1600mg of prescription Advil in one 20 minute session. Been off NSAIDS 5 days straight now and while I'm by no means 100% the pain I do have is a very manageable 2-3 on a scale of 10; better than when I was popping Advil.
It's a different experience than a foam roller which only compresses the tissue. The little "thumbs" on this roller are flexible enough not to bruise bone but firm enough to pry apart tissue as you roll. Rolling side to side along the long limb axis is brutal. IT band/lateral vastus and calf work are a whole new level of oww. I put the little dingus up on a low box and I can really dig into the hip adductors and flexors which have been siezed up for awhile now. Instant gait change.
I purchased mine through Amazon and got the small, blue original density version. The harder model is for people who don't respond to deep tissue massage. The original density is plenty tough for me.
I got the black one as a gift from someone who apparently hates me. The pain is brutal while on it, but it's done wonders for my hip flexors and calves. Worth every penny.
"Gentle in what you do, Firm in how you do it"
- Buck Brannaman
FRKCTL wrote:I put the little dingus up on a low box and I can really dig into the hip adductors and flexors which have been siezed up for awhile now. Instant gait change.
Missed this before. That's pretty interesting.
How is it for the traps? Any practical differences between the compact and regular? For what I actually use a regular foam roller for, the more compact version works fine for me.
"Liberalism is arbitrarily selective in its choice of whose dignity to champion." Adrian Vermeule
FRKCTL wrote:I put the little dingus up on a low box and I can really dig into the hip adductors and flexors which have been siezed up for awhile now. Instant gait change.
Missed this before. That's pretty interesting.
How is it for the traps? Any practical differences between the compact and regular? For what I actually use a regular foam roller for, the more compact version works fine for me.
I prefer a lacrosse ball to try and hit the tarps. I'm sure someone could make it work, and the little thumbs or whatever they are would do the trick, but the cylinder shape of the roller makes it tough to get into a comfortable position.
I got the regular, but the compact would be fine. If you already have a foam roller for t-spine extensions and other stuff, no need to go a full length rumble roller.
"Gentle in what you do, Firm in how you do it"
- Buck Brannaman
Grandpa's Spells wrote:Got the blue one and it is less effective on piriformis than lacrosse ball.
Agree on this one. The rumble roller isn't a soft tissue fix it for everything. The real value has been on my calves and my IT bands. Other areas have been harder to get the desired effect.
I look at it this way. I have spent about $100 on a foam roller, a couple LAX balls and a rumble roller that will last me for probably a few years. For that same cost I could have gotten maybe 2 or 3 soft tissue treatments.
I may still have to get some sort of soft tissue work done, but if I can get a lot done on my own, then it's money well spent IMO.
"Gentle in what you do, Firm in how you do it"
- Buck Brannaman