Review on TheStick Original 24"L: Enhance Flexibility, Boost Recovery, Relieve Muscle Pain with Therapeutic Body Massage Stick by Raquel Perkins

I'm a runner. Not great, just a workaholic; but I run long distances (mostly half marathons). I've used foam rollers to relieve tension in the iliotibial bands, quads, and calf muscles when I'm doing too much (or too early in the season!). I switched to nip rollers a few years ago (they're made of a tough polyester that doesn't deform as much as foam rollers and won't break like foam rollers). I really like these trigger rollers, but they are bulky for on the go. I wanted this massager as a travel companion that would be less cumbersome than trying to pack a large roll in my suitcase. The problem is using that wand to apply the right amount of pressure to the muscles involved. It's doable, but it's especially tough on the IT team and it's my main hotspot from running. The angles just aren't right to put pressure on the strip of fabric that runs from thigh to knee at the outer edge of your thigh. The only real way to get IT relief is to ask my wife to apply a massage stick while I'm lying on my side. Trouble is, she doesn't always travel with me! It works great on the quadriceps and calf muscles. Angles are just easier for these muscles and pressure can easily be controlled unaided. Result. This works for specific areas like quads, calves, really good for the neck and roughly to the shoulders, but useless for the iliotibial band, back anywhere from the neckline to the waist. For my needs I only have to "stick" to the foam rollers or the trigger point.