The foam roller hurts like crazy. But I can barely walk without it, so I love it.
My husband won't touch it, he doesn't think it is worth it.
My PT has shown me ways to support some of my weight on other parts of my body when I roll certain spaces that cannot tolerate the full pressure, and I gradually increase the weight. For example- my IT band, instead of rolling in a side-plank type position that would put all my weigh (except what is on my hand) on the roller, I cross my free foot over my rolling leg and hold it on the floor to hold up more of my weight.
For squats, I use an exercise ball against the wall to hold some of my weight. Especially one leg squats I can't support my entire weight on my knees. I only do these in front of the mirror, as I have to watch my knees, but also watch where my weight balance is. I tend to squat 80% on the right side and 20% on the left. Apparently it should be 50/50. I am so right side dominant it isn't funny.
As for young- yeah, but I'm falling apart. I have tendonitis pretty much everywhere I can (ankles, knees, hips, wrists, elbows, shoulders), I have bad tracking in my knees, I have a labral tear in my hip, I still haven't gotten back my full range of motion from my wrist sprain this year, plus the cervical fusion always causes troubles...