The 4 Best Foot Rollers for Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is a major cause of heel pain, and it has a major impact on your quality of life. Due to inflammation, pain, and discomfort it becomes difficult to move freely, exercise, and do everyday things. Although a frustrating problem, plantar fasciitis can be managed successfully. Patients have numerous options to improve their quality of life, and most of them use braces and wraps to enhance the stability of the affected area along with management of symptoms. Foot rollers also prove to be a practical management tool for people with plantar fasciitis, and in this post, we’re going to focus on the best options on the market.

How do Foot Rollers Help With Plantar Fasciitis?​

A foot roller is an elongated massage tool that contains raised points which allow patients to roll it up and down with their feet. This tool is practical, and you can take it wherever you go. Foot rollers can be made out of plastic or wood. The best foot rollers for plantar fasciitis alleviate pain successfully and decrease pressure and tension in feet, thus improving your range of motion.

Foot rollers have many other advantages as well. Some of them include:

These useful devices imitate the massaging sensation patients get from a physical therapist. Foot rollers are ideal for people who don’t have enough time to see a physical therapist regularly and for those who want to manage symptoms of plantar fasciitis at home easily, without too much hassle.

It can also help people with flat feet as they are often at risk of developing plantar fasciitis. That being said, some people with flat feet find that foot rollers aggravate their pain. If you have flat feet, consult your doctor prior to buying one of these massage tools.

What to Look for in a Plantar Fasciitis Foot Roller​

Despite their versatility, getting the most out of these massaging tools depends on the choices you make. Besides plastic and wooden foot rollers, there are also those that are made of other materials. Some rollers are made of natural rubber are resistant to slipping on hard floors while others are made of silicone. These rollers are easy to clean and are comfortable to use, i.e., you don't experience added pain or discomfort while using them.

Ridges & Nubbins​

Make sure your foot roller has a lot of ridges and nubbins. Why? It is the ridges that alleviate inflammation and relieve pain. Rollers without plenty of nubbins or ridges aren’t that effective in treating the most common symptoms of plantar fasciitis.

Hollow Core​

If you want to experience a more unique feeling similar to a physical therapy session, then you should go for a roller with a hollow core. The reason is simple, these rollers contour to shape of your foot.

Wood vs. Rubber or Silicone​

Patients who want to experience more intense pressure may benefit from wooden rollers. That being said, it takes a while to get used to them as they are firm under your feet. If you’ve never used a foot roller before, then you might benefit more from rubber or silicone tools due to a lighter feeling they provide.

In a nutshell, the choice of an ideal foot roller depends on your needs and preferences. Consider your condition and severity of symptoms, then determine the best type of roller that will provide more benefits.

Other things to consider include:

How to Use the Foot Roller

You bought a foot roller and now what? You need to know how to use a foot roller for plantar fasciitis in order to get the most out of it, of course.

The entire process is very easy. You just need to take off your shoes, place a roller on the ground, put a foot on the roller, and start rolling. You can do this anytime anywhere, and it's that simple. Start off gently and gradually increase the intensity to build up more pressure. Don’t be too aggressive because it can only make your symptoms even worse. Use the roller for a few minutes. You can do this a few times during the day.

The 4 Best Foot Rollers for Plantar Fasciitis​

Now that you know how these tools work, what to look for, and how to use them, you’re ready to see the best options on the market today. Let’s start!

1. TheraBand Foot Roller for Foot Pain Relief

TheraBand is a well-known name in the fitness industry. Professional and recreational athletes, as well as other active individuals, use elastic resistance products and bands pioneered by this very company about 40 years ago. The primary objective of this company is to make exercise and recovery more effective, but also to boost a person’s confidence and support their overall health.

TheraBand has tons of products under its belt including foot roller. This tool successfully provides relief from foot pain caused by different factors ranging from plantar fasciitis to plain overuse. Thanks to the rigid design, the roller conforms to a user’s foot. The convenient size makes it easy to pack the roller and carry it with you wherever you go.

The roller is made from a natural latex material and features a hollow core. A significant advantage of this practical tool is that you can clean it easily and it doesn't scratch the floor.

2. TheraFlow Dual Foot Massager Roller

TheraFlow is a brand that manufactures quality massage and wellness products. The company is dedicated to providing comfort to users and constantly innovates and improves the offer for greater customer experience. Their most popular product is dual massager that takes plantar fasciitis foot roller treatment to a whole new level. The roller is made of wood with a major emphasis on accuracy and care.

The primary function of the massager is to soothe your foot and heel pain caused by plantar fasciitis, neuropathy, and other problems. Regular use of the roller works to refresh sore, tired, and achy feet by promoting blood circulation. Weighing only 1.6lbs, the roller is very portable and convenient to use. Thanks to the high-quality Theaceae wood this massager is durable meaning you won’t have to buy a new roller anytime soon.

What makes this massager so useful is that you can use it in two different ways. One way is acupuncture where a user places their feet across 5 rows of rollers and holds for 5 seconds. The other way is the kneading mode.

3. Natural Chemistree Foot Massage Roller

Natural Chemistree is a health and fitness brand that promotes the use of holistic methods toward pain relief, better mobility, and improved quality of life. Their foot massage roller is an extremely effective tool for quick pain relief from plantar fasciitis, the pressure that accumulated throughout the day, and other causes.

The best feature of this cute-looking tool is its ergonomic design that allows sole of the foot to get complete control. The roller features nubs that provide the acupressure effect and allow users to experience a similar feeling to the one they have during a physical therapy session. Thanks to all those nubs, the roller improves blood flow which is necessary for pain relief, relaxation, and reduced inflammation. What makes it one of the best foot rollers for plantar fasciitis is that wheels are placed on both sides for safe use on any type of floor.

If you want a gentle massage, then use the roller with socks on, but take them off if you want a more intense massage.

4. Heal PT Foot Roller and Porcupine Ball

Heal PT is a brand that provides home physical therapy tools. Their goal is to develop products that will give you same effects and benefits as you would get during a session with a physical therapist. That is why their foot roller and porcupine ball come very handy if you have plantar fasciitis.

Both foot roller and the ball are lightweight and easy to carry if you’re a busy person who travels a lot. The tools help stretch, massage, and relax muscles while promoting blood circulation. The ball spikes stimulate the muscles as well as the blood flow through acupressure effects while a wooden roller provides pain relief more intensely.

Bottom Line

When it comes to plantar fasciitis management one shouldn’t put all the eggs in one basket. Most patients use wraps and braces which are incredibly effective, but getting other tools like foot rollers can improve your efforts. Foot rollers are versatile, easy to use, and come at affordable prices.

TheraBand’s foot roller can also assist in cryotherapy (ice therapy) to alleviate pain, but if you want a more intense massage, then Thera Flow is the right option for you.