I use a golf ball, personally.
In my experience, it’s easier to use something smooth, like a lacrosse ball, because it rolls more easily and doesn’t get caught on stitches or anything. Probably doesn’t make a huge difference in the end but the jerkiness of using a baseball annoys me.
Have been using my ‘standard’ foam roller 3 times pw for ages and used my new Thera Roll http://www.aokhealth.com/xq/ASP/ProductID.1385/qx/product.htm for the first time today. …WOW!!! I didn’t whimper like a girl the whole time. :o 
Is the Ther-Roll easy to use, aside from the substantial pain it might cause? Can you update us with how you feel tomorrow?
Update:
I tried using the diabetic needles and it works great! I feel no pain after I inject myself in the shoulder.
So now, I’m experimenting with different doses and I have noticed that I get into a deeper sleep and I wake up feeling as if I took a long Epsom salt bath the other night. So yes, it’s still working, and the B6 does indeed calm the CNS. My next step is to mix my B complex shot with iodine.
The one I got is a small one and it is considerably smaller than my other one but works fine and is as easy as any ‘standard’ roller just hits a LOT deeper especially on the IT Band which for me was the most painful. :o
I used it after conditioning in the morning and then used my ‘standard’ one in the evening as a flush / recovery.
IT a bit sore today but apart from that all good. 
Did you Stretch after using the Foam roll? I find that helps a ton in reducing Soreness the following day.
Always, foam roll then stretch immediately afterward.
I agree…
what about past massage? 
I know foam roll is great… but us being human and all (except for John who I know has a ‘robotic’ consistency in doing things), I found that I’ll keep it up for a week or so, and then get tired of having to do, so I was wondering how many here do it consistently? for long periods of time?
EMS on the other hand … i find so helpful… I put the active recovery program on, and I really feel a difference right away - and it’s not a hassle to use it, since I just sit there, and it does the work. I was also wondering if the effect is similar, compared to the foam roll, for those who have investigated the usefulness of both.
Thanks =)
John, at the beginning of the summer my IT band was so jacked up, I couldn’t use the Trigger Point roller on my IT’s without it really hurting quite a bit. I had a few ART sessions with my coach where he did some deep and painful work in my IT’s (he did a lot of work close to the knee and hip, as he states a lot of tension is held there) and now I can maintain it by foam rolling with no problem. For those with a lot of soreness and access to an ART practitioner, this might be a useful option.
Stephanie, I have an EMS machine that I use on the active recovery setting and I find it helps muscles, but doesn’t seem to have any effect on my IT.
I only started foam rolling recently, but it can really help when access to therapy is limited, though foam rolling appears controversial to some in reading over previous threads here.
I know my coach down south went to see John Smith and he is apparently big on foam rolling when therapy access is limited. Down there a lot of people do it pre-warmup as well as post-workout or on off days. I wonder if foam rolling + EMS would be beneficial in some cases, or overkill?
What do you mean by jacked up? Tight?
I think you raise a key point. …big on foam rolling when therapy access is limited. IMGHO having access to very regular massage (3+ pw) would automatically mean foam roller use would be less.
Mine is only once every 2 weeks so it is a case of necessity. Having 2 quite different ones helps too, one gets deeper and the other more for flushing.
Not sure about EMS but what I am using a fair bit (and with good effect) is relaxation ‘tapes’.
Stef,
how perceptive of you to pick up on the …‘robotic’ consistency in doing thing, and so much nicer than other possible descriptions such as obsessive or anally retentive
I’m not as “obsessive” or “anally attentive” as John 
I do use foam tubes and balls on a weekly bases for myself and all my p.t. clients.
In the beginning foam is slower than Tens, but with practice your muscles learn to relax faster with foam and you cam be done in as little as 10min with a lot of diff muscles.
I’m not as “obsessive” or “anally attentive” as John
I do use foam tubes and balls on a weekly bases for myself and all my p.t. clients.
In the beginning foam is slower than Tens, but with practice your muscles learn to relax faster with foam and you cam be done in as little as 10min with a lot of diff muscles.
Sorry, John, what do you mean?
Most people don’t have the luxury of having massage as part of the training session and it is done separately. Should stretching be done post massage?
I see. I guess it depends on the nature of the massage. If light (and consistent) I wouldn’t mind some stretching and light mobility work to check things. Otherwise, I would give the body a day to settle down at which point you can use whole body light activities and stretching. What has worked for you? Others?
As mine is not that light I always ensure I have a rest day to follow and don’t stretch or anything. I only raised it in light of the agreement to stretch post foam roller.
I think there is some similarity between a light massage and the use of a foam roller, in the sense that both can potentially be applied rather systematically (e.g., no need to go deep). I guess, in that sense stretching can follow both recovery modalities.