Muscle Glide, invented and manufactured in central Iowa
Spin Massage Roller
By Dave Mable
I just finished a morning run and have been battling plantar fasciitis for a few months now, but it’s finally turning the corner and not as painful, thanks in large part to a new product called Muscle Glide, invented and manufactured in central Iowa.
While I’ve got a Stick and a Tube, I eagerly jumped on an early model when visited by its creator, Brent Daves of Ankeny.
While the Stick is portable and hand-held, its flexibility makes it difficult to really dig deep into sore and tight muscles. The Tube, a large foam roller, really gets the pressure on your muscles, but its large contact area makes it difficult to focus pressure on tight spots. Its size makes it difficult to travel with, too.
Enter Muscle Glide. A stiff metal rod with six roller-blade wheels evenly spaced and two strong handles make this little unit very effective.
I really like the size, the three-inch diameter wheels make it usable on the floor, like the Tube, but the handles and strong rod make it easy to use as a hand-held roller. The wheels are spaced about an inch apart, close enough that when rolling your leg or gluts over it, you get a broad point of pressure, good for working an entire muscle. The gap also allows you to really focus on a pressure point when those tight knots flair up.
The Muscle Glide does not replace the work a good sports medicine doctor, physical therapist or massage therapist can do, but it is there, at your bedside, for everyday use.
I keep mine at the foot of my bed, ready to help loosen up my foot and calf after a night’s sleep, and easily accessible for post run/ride work before my shower. It also calls my name before bed, to help me loosen tight muscles from a day of standing behind the counter or sitting on bleachers at my kid’s baseball games.
The only faults I’ve found with this new product are its lack of availability, as only a few retailers have picked it up (Scheels, Bike World, Fitness Sports), and, at $60, it’s not cheap.
On the other hand, considering the price for rehab, it’s a small price to pay to keep those muscles loose and to compliment the work we do in rehab when our body does remind us that we’re not getting any younger.
