TFS Review: The Stick’s “Sprinter Stick”
Posted January 10th, 2007 at 10:00 AM by Adam Jacobs
Section: Running & Training, Injury & Rehab, Gear & Apparel, Miscellaneous, Product Reviews, Special Features, Health & Fitness, Injury & Rehab, TFS Reviews
The Stick’s “Sprinter Stick” is an exceptional tool for injury prevention & treatment and was chosen as a “TFS Top Pick of 2006″.
Product: The Stick’s Sprinter Stick
Price: $32.95
Rating: Excellent 8.9/10.0
Pros: Improves performance by accelerating recovery; portable; good value; versatile
Cons: Difficult to use on arm muscles and feet without a partner.
Overall: This is a one-of-a-kind self-massage tool that can reduce muscle soreness, prevent injuries and even make you a better runner.
For those who have never seen it used, The Sprinter Stick is likely to seem quite peculiar. As a matter of fact, when one of The Final Sprint’s product testers first received it, he thought we had sent him: “Some type of a hybrid between a rolling pin and a weapon from ‘Karate Kid’“.
Believe it or not, this observation was quite perceptive. The Sprinter Stick, one of the many models in the The Stick’s product line, is a 19-inch rod of plastic with grey, grooved handles on each end and nine, independent spindles surrounding it’s core. Just as a rolling pin is used to knead and reshape dough, The Sprinter Stick is used to stretch and manipulate muscle. The Intracell Technology of The Sprinter Stick can also be thought of as a type of weapon; one that has proved extremely effective for runner’s in the battle to stay injury-free.
How does it work?
Although we have all experienced “tender” spots, or “knots”, in our muscles, they’re not supposed to be there and are not found in normal muscle. The Sprinter Stick allows you to target these “trigger spots”, remove excess lactic acid and reduce pain through self-massage. This process also aids in muscle recovery by eliminating tightness and therefore allowing blood, the body’s natural healing system, to flow properly. It can also be used to help “warm-up” your muscles prior to exercise. For more information on the science behind this process, click here.
Marathoners: Don’t be scared away by The Sprinter Stick’s name! It is also ideal for long-distance runners and other endurance athletes. It was originally created for elite sprinters and therefore was made extremely rigid. However, this firmness is also very beneficial for endurance athletes because it allows for more pressure and a deeper massage. That’s why, in our opinion, it is actually a better choice for most marathon runners than the “Marathon Stick” model.
Effectiveness - 9 - Our reviewers used the The Sprinter Stick both prior to, and after, training runs. In the 48 hours after each run, they consistently reported substantially less discomfort and that they were more refreshed in their subsequent workouts. A few of our reviewers also noted that it helped to reduce knee pain (presumably by helping to repair, and prevent damage to, the surrounding leg muscles). It was also found to be better at treating muscle soreness than muscle/heat rubs (i.e. - Icy Hot, BenGay) and traditional, self-massage. The best aspect of The Sprinter Stick is that by shortening recovery time and limiting injuries, it will enable you to train harder and consequently perform better when it counts the most: ON RACE DAY!
Design - 8.5 - The Sprinter Stick is small and light enough to take with you in your running/gym bag. Although the rubberized gray handles are comfortable, it is actually more effective if you grip The Stick on the outer-most rollers; allowing you to apply additional pressure. It can be used alone and with a partner or teammate (which makes it even more effective). The only design flaw is that it can be challenging to properly massage your arm muscles and feet without assistance from a partner. Otherwise, The Stick’s exhaustive research and development has clearly paid off.
Value - 9 - The Sprinter Stick is moderately priced and well worth the expense. It is also waterproof, comes with a warranty, and claims to be able to last a lifetime if used properly (We don’t doubt it!).
The bottom line? The Stick is in a league of it’s own when it comes to preventing and treating muscle-related injuries.
Editor’s note - The overall rating was calculated by weighting Effectiveness as 70%, Design as 20% and Value as 10%.
***Note: We encourage EVERYONE to see a doctor before altering their diet, taking a supplement and/or performing athletic, fitness or other strenuous physical activity. It is your responsibility to evaluate the accuracy, completeness and usefulness of any information, instruction, opinion or advice contained in the content. Please also see our complete disclaimer.***
Tags: blood, discomfort, heal, injuries, injury, injury prevention, injury treatment, lactic acid, pain, performance, product review, recovery, review, sore, soreness, sports injuries, sports injury, sports medicine, the sprinter stick, the stick
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The Final Sprint
[…] TFS Review: The Stick’s “Sprinter Stick”The Stick’s “Sprinter Stick” is an exceptional tool for injury prevention & treatment and was chosen as a “TFS Top Pick of 2006″. Product: The Stick’s Sprinter Stick Price: $32.95 Rating: Excellent 8.9/10.0 Pros: Improves performance by accelerating recovery; portable; good value; versatile Cons: Difficult to use on arm muscles and feet without a partner. Overall: This is a one-of-a-kind self-massage […] […]
January 18th, 2007 at 2:01 am