Hot!
- Easy to use and highly durable
- Ability to execute a deep tissue self-massage with minimal effort
- Reduces inflammation and improves circulation
- It breaks up muscle adhesions for myofascial release
- Adjustable dial to customize force of massage
- FDA registered medical device allows you to use FSA/HSA funds
Not!
- Pricey
- Only for extremities, not back or neck
- Heavy – 3 LBS
Price: $169.00
Weight: 3 lbs.
Dimensions: 12.5” x 9.5” x 2.5”
Colors: Lava Red, Alpine White, Carbon Black
How obtained: Company sample
Availability: Online
RBR advertiser: No
Torture Device or Muscle Relief?
Every cyclist has found themselves with a tight IT band, quad, or hamstring muscle at one time or another. A regular go-to device to relieve the tightness is the dreaded foam roller. I hear you groaning in discomfort already. I remember my first encounter with a foam roller many years ago. After a personal training session, the trainer handed me this long foam tube and instructed me to “roll out” my legs, back, and glutes. Yes, there was screaming, and a few swear words thrown her way, but as the muscles started to release, it actually felt good.
Fast forward to today, and you now have all sorts of massage tool options to pick from to release knots and break up muscle adhesions for a myofascial release. Enter the new Roll Recovery R8 Plus. Out of the box, it looks terrifying. I used the dial to adjust the force of the deep tissue massage, a new feature to the R8, hence the “Plus.” Yep, I dialed the tension back as much as possible. Next, I slid the device onto my leg, positioning a roller on each side of my thigh, then gingerly rolling it up and down my IT band.
Wow!!! The device provided a lot of pressure to give an excellent deep tissue massage you cannot get with a traditional foam roller or using your hands. The R8 Plus is simple to use, and you roll it up and down your legs, hips, glutes, and arms to improve circulation to promote blood flow, which reduces inflammation. Watch these videos demonstrating how to use the device on different body parts.
The R8 Plus was not designed for your back or neck; thus, you’ll need to use a foam roller like a Rollga.
Deep Tissue Massage To Break Up Adhesions
The repetitive motion common in cycling can overwork one or more body parts causing the myofascial to become gummy and crinkle up, which is called adhesion. Deep tissue massage, like that provided by the R8 Plus, breaks up the adhesions and releases the myofascial.
I’ve been using the R8 Plus for about three weeks now and find that my legs recover better and feel fresher after consecutive days of riding. Now I need to continue finding time after each ride to use it.
At 3 pounds, the R8 Plus might be a bit heavy for air travel (TSA-approved device) but easy enough to pack when traveling by car. Included in the box is a nylon storage bag that can also double as a travel bag. The device is FDA-registered, which means you can use your HSA/FSA account to purchase it. If you have some “use it or lose it” FSA funds, this might be a purchase worth considering. Happy holidays!
The R8 Plus comes in three colors (black, white, or red), letting you decide which one looks less threatening or matches your decor.
Roll Recovery also includes a key for swapping out rollers or making any adjustments to the device. Using the key to tighten all the screws is recommended for regular maintenance, as outlined in this video.
If you have sticker shock from the $169 price tag, Roll Recovery has a less expensive model that does not include a tension adjustment dial. The way I look at it, the cost of two professional massages is more than the cost of the R8 Plus.
Sheri Rosenbaum regularly contributes articles and reviews products for RBR. She’s an avid recreational roadie who lives in the Chicago area and a major advocate for women’s cycling, serving on the board of directors and volunteering with the Dare2tri Paratriathlon Club. Click to read Sheri’s full bio or visit her web site sunflowersandpedals.com.
I purchased the R8 last year and started out the same meaning I dialed the tension back all the way. After several weeks of use I now have the tension dialed forward to the highest tension. You really get use to the higher setting.