Is it possible to loosen fascia better with a fascia roller or a massage gun? With what tensions dissolve faster into thin air? Here comes the answer!
For a long time, no importance was attributed to the fasciae. If you are tense, you have simply jammed a muscle, was the popular opinion. When it was then recognized what a great role the fascia tissue plays, the first massage devices were also soon on the market.
Among the first was Blackroll, who still make super effective hard material balls and rollers today. You've probably had a fascia massage roller in your hands and on your fascia.
For a long time, the roller and ball were among the only gadgets that succeeded in the market. New gadgets kept appearing on the market, but the market leader was invincible.
For about two years, however, the roller has had competition. The fascia gun is more popular than ever.
The two best-known aids for tension are the massage roller and the massage gun. But which one really loosens adhesions better? The fascia gun or the fascia roller?
Today I'll show you the pros and cons of each method and tell you what to look out for.
Table of contents
Why you should massage, loosen and train your fasciae
Fascia is the connective tissue-like structure that lies around our organs, muscles and bones. They hold everything in place and have many other tasks.
The special thing about fascia is its importance for muscular performance. Especially all those who do a lot of sports and are often plagued by sore muscles can shorten the recovery time of the muscles through fascia training.
But fascia tissue is also important for amateur athletes. If you keep it supple, it offers you good protection against injuries during workouts. If you've had a few sports injuries, you know that they usually occur in ligaments or tendons. And that's where you can start with targeted training.
Many pain receptors are located in the fascia itself. If your fascia tissue becomes stuck together, you will feel it very quickly. Classic problems are back and neck pain. People who spend a lot of time sitting at work are particularly plagued by these.
Surely you've had a stiff neck or a sore lower back before? It's very likely that the fasciae are responsible. Especially if you can feel a lump with your fingers in the affected area that hurts when you apply pressure. These painful areas are also called trigger points.
In the past, the adhesions were loosened by massages, specific exercises or the fascia roller. But the fascia gun promises even faster healing. Let's take a look at this in detail.
This is how a fascia massage helps against tension!
How a massage gun loosens fasciae
First, let's look at how a massage gun works on fascia. With a massage gun you can target trigger points very specifically. If you are unsure, first feel the pain with your fingers and then gently slide the gun up and down on this spot at the lowest setting.
The body's trigger points could hardly be more different. Tension feels different in the neck than in the thigh. But no matter where it is, you can treat any of them with the massage gun. Each model comes with at least 4 attachments.
Depending on the muscle group, you adjust the attachment.
Since you hold the fascia gun in your hands yourself, you have constant control over how much pressure you apply. The pistols can provide anything from a pleasant massage function to quite intense hammering.
With the fascia roller you work with your body weight, here with the programs. At the touch of a button, you can increase or decrease the pressure.
The treatment of the stuck fascia tissue is much less painful with the fascia gun than with the hard foam roller. The vibrations not only loosen the trigger point itself, but also the surrounding tissue. So you can loosen adhesions faster than on the fascia roller.
How to use the massage gun correctly!
Advantage fascia gun
- Ready for use immediately
- Trigger points can be targeted very specifically
- There are several attachments depending on the body region
- The massage is not painful
- There are several massage programs
Disadvantage fascia gun
- More expensive to buy than the roller
- Borrowers can get hurt
My recommendation
I can especially recommend the small OM-Go to you. It is very handy and has soft attachments, which makes the massage even more pleasant.
Most Guns have hard attachments, which can be very painful, especially in sensitive areas. The attachments of the OM-Go massage gun are made of silicone, which is very pleasant to the skin itself.
It is so small that you can just put it in your handbag and use it in the office anytime. You can test order it, the manufacturer will give you your money back if you are not satisfied.
I use it at least 1x a week to loosen up my neck and lower back.
Top Masasgeguns in check: We have tested them!
How a massage roller loosens fasciae
Many people in recent years relied on massage rollers. Among them, quite a number of athletes. The most famous brand is called Blackroll.
Those who wish can make a Blackroll set* Order from Amazon. If you are specifically looking for a fascia ball, then I can recommend the Trueball. It is made from natural rubber, which feels much softer and more comfortable on the skin.
With a roller or a ball you can massage your back, neck, upper arms, thighs, calves and buttocks. There are special exercises for this that help you find the trigger points and build pressure on them. This is quite painful, but the stinging pressure soon gives way to a dull pressure, which feels much better.
You determine the pressure
During the exercises, you roll the desired body part very slowly up and down on the roller. The roller lies on the floor. With the help of your own body weight you exert pressure, which you can increase or decrease depending on how you position yourself on the roller.
The pressure improves the blood supply to the fascia tissue and massages it, which causes trigger points to slowly dissolve. The roller is most often used on the back and thigh.
These are the best exercises with fascia roller!
The fact that a massage gun loosens fascia quickly is its great advantage. The massage roller can't keep up. You have to allow enough time for rolling. At least 15 minutes per session, preferably longer.
Once you have found a painful point, you pause at the spot. You can't speed this up, but you have to wait until the pain resolves itself. However, this is not a bad thing, because you can listen to your body better.
Some parts of the body are difficult to get to. To give the roller access to the trigger points, you have to contort yourself during some exercises. If you are very immobile, it is therefore often very difficult to get along with the roller in the beginning.
There is a possibility to work with a massage ball. It is especially good for the back and neck. I also like to use it for my shoulder blades. The ball has the advantage that you can build up more pressure on the trigger points.
Advantage fascia roller
- Cheaper to purchase
- Can be used for back, calves and thighs
- You can not hurt yourself
Disadvantage fascia roller
- For the unrolling you need to allow enough time
- There are roller and balls, but you have to buy them separately, which is an advantage and disadvantage at the same time
- The exercises are very painful
- For many exercises you need to be very mobile
My recommendation
If you haven't found a ball you're completely happy with yet, I recommend the Trueball massage ball*. It is made of soft rubber and feels very pleasant on the skin. Unlike the black hard balls, you can also use it on the wall without it rolling away.
If you're interested, it's best to read the many reviews on Amazon. You get a lot of massage performance for little money with this model.
Does the massage gun loosen fascia better or the roller?
Well, which is better? Unfortunately, I can't answer that question for you. You'll have to find out for yourself what works best for you.
If you're interested in a fascia gun, order one and see for yourself. Most manufacturers offer a 30-day money back guarantee.
Both the fascia roller and the fascia gun dissolve adhesions. If it has to go faster, then you are right with the gun, but if you plan more time, you can also do it with the roller.
In case of severe tension, a mixture of both gadgets will help you. Then the fasciae will get a full massage from all sides. With the roller, you can treat large areas such as the thigh or buttocks. The gun helps you target trigger points.
I like to use the fascia gun because it makes the massage less painful and faster. In the office, the fascia roller is very impractical. It starts with the transport and goes all the way to the unrolling itself.
My conclusion
Can a fascia roller or a massage gun loosen fascia better and release tension? That depends entirely on your application. If you want to use the gadget quickly in everyday life, you are better off with the gun. If you want to loosen fasciae over a large area, you should use the roller.
And if you want to make the most of all the possibilities, you should get both. Good luck in the fight against your tensions!
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