Foam rolling is a hot topic these days and the practice can be very helpful for releasing soft tissues, reducing pain, and improving both flexibility and mobility.

There are a number of options when selecting a foam roller alternative.

The foam roll itself is not always the best option depending on what area of the body you are trying to reach.

Additionally, the primary problem with foam rolling is the amount of weight you have to place on the area, which can be way too intense.

For these reasons, I've created a list of the best foam roller alternative options.

Foam Roller Alternative - Factors That Affect Which You Choose

When it comes to self massage work, unfortunately there is no one-size-fits-all tool.

There are many areas of the body that need a certain type of surface or size in order to get into the area just right for the result.

The top things to keep in mind when choose an alternative for a foam roller are:

What is the desired pressure you want?
Does the area you want to treat have unique features? Curved? Flat? Small?
Price point

The other thing to keep in mind is whether or not you will out-grow the tool. For example, when it comes to foam rollers, they can be super soft with low-density, or high-density and very tough.

You may need to start out with a super soft surface, but once you adapt you will need something firmer to graduate the pressure.

To avoid having to buy too many tools, you will want to look for something that can adapt and grow with you.

Foam Roller Alternatives For Back

There are two specific areas to address with a foam roller when it comes to the back: the spine and the muscles next to the spine.

Foam rolling the spine is often applied specifically in the thoracic region in order to mobilize the vertebra into extension. This is fairly straightforward and most people feel comfortable on a low to medium density foam roller.

For an alternative to the foam roll, there aren't a lot of options specific to this function, but there are numerous for the muscle release outcome.

Peanut Roller

While some people recommend tennis balls to roll the muscles of the spine, I'm not a huge fan of this for one primary reason: they constantly move around!

The combo peanut roller is the solution to this problem. It's essentially 2 tennis-sized balls molded together with a small gap between them to make room for the spinous process.

5billion (interesting name right?) makes a good and simple peanut roller that makes for a great alternative to the foam roller.

Buy It Here

5billion-peanut-spine-roller

Pso Back Massager

The next step up from the peanut roller is the Pso Back. This tool has the equivalent of "fingers" that would be placed on both sides of the spine.

It's similar to the peanut, but much more intense. Those looking for a bit more targeted pressure will like this tool.

Buy It Here

Pso-back-alternative-for-foam-roll

Spine Worx

The Spine Worx is a very interesting device. At first I was skeptical of it, but found it to be a nice gizmo for soft tissue release of the spinal extensors.

This foam roller alternative for the spine is very popular on sites such as Amazon, boasting over 5000 reviews. If you are looking for something near completely passive, meaning you don't have to roll around in order to get the result, this would be what you're looking for.

Buy It Here

Spine-worx-foam-roll-alternative-for-back

Foam Roller Alternatives For Legs

Foam roller alternatives for the legs, including the hamstrings, quadriceps, IT bands, groin and calves include a few options listed above, but these tools are going to be a better option for the lower body.

Trigger Point Nano Foot Roller

When it comes to rolling the feet, you have a few options. You can definitely go with a golf ball or tennis ball.

However, if you're looking for something a bit more targeted to the surface of the foot, the Trigger Point Nano is a great option.

Buy It Here

Best-Foot-Roller-For-Runners

When it comes to choosing a foam roller alternative, keep in mind there may not be ONE solution that covers everything you need. You might need a few tools to get the job done.

Hopefully the tools listed above give you some great options as alternatives to the standard foam roller.