How to Use a Ball to Massage Your Back

Types of Balls If you have muscle tension in your back, try lying on top of a small ball! The idea is to place a tennis ball or similarly sized ball at the area of tension and lie down on top of it. The ball, located at a "trigger point," and the weight of your body helps to relieve muscle tension at that point.

To try this at home, you'll need access to one or two balls:

Tennis balls These work well, but can be hard and painful to sensitive people. They are more commonly available and can be purchased at any store that carries sporting goods. michael kors outlet canada

Franklin Balls These balls are specifically designed to support the Franklin Method, which uses imagery and tools to achieve body alignment and improved body function. Franklin Balls are available through online order or in some specialty stores. They are especially useful for self back massage.

BakBalls This gadget looks like two balls stuck together, and are specifically designed to be worked along the muscles of your back. coach outlet online

Textured children's play balls Toy balls can be used, but are often not up to the pressure of full body weight over extended periods of time. That said, some toy balls come in great textures, including soft spikes and round bumps or knobs.

You will also need a clear area on the floor where you can comfortably lie down. polo outlet online

Ball Massage TechniqueTo give yourself a back massage using the ball method, you will need two balls, either two tennis balls or two Franklin balls, or one BakBalls. You will position the balls, one on either side of the spine, so that they work the muscles along the spine. jordans for cheap

1. Place the balls on the floor and lie down on them. Reposition the balls so that they press against your shoulder muscle, below the base of your neck. Do not position the balls against the vertebrae in your neck. You can move the balls outward as necessary, to best hit the part of your shoulders where you hold tension. michael kors clearance

2. Lie quietly for 2 5 minutes in this position. You shouldn't feel pain, but you should feel the ball working your "trigger point." Breathe regularly and try to visualize the tension releasing. cheap jordans

3. Move the balls a bit lower down your spine, maintaining contact with the muscles that follow the spine. Try to locate a spot where you feel tension. jordan shoes for cheap

4. Lie quietly for 2 5 minutes, breathing regularly. coach outlet store online

5. Continue to work the balls down your spine, repositioning the balls each time, taking 2 5 minutes in each position. You may feel your spine adjust, but this should not be painful. If you do feel any pain, stop immediately and reposition the balls. cheap jordans online

6. The last position should be at the top of your glutes. You may wish to move the balls further apart, depending upon where you feel tension. coach outlet online

When you are done with your self massage, get up slowly and check in with your body. You can repeat this practice daily to help relieve muscle tension. jordans outlet

Benefit of Franklin BallsFranklin Balls are made of a resilient plastic material that has a nice "give" to it. They are slightly larger in diameter than a tennis ball and can be inflated using a pump with a needle type attachment. You can get textured Franklin Balls or smooth Franklin Balls. The smooth ball is nice for those who don't need a great deal of pressure, or who are sensitive to lots of pressure.

The textured Franklin Ball is good for providing a deeper massage. You can use them on other parts of your body as well, like your feet for helping to improve balance. coach outlet online

It's not necessary to put Franklin Balls in a sock or to otherwise contain them when using them for back massage. You simply place them where you want them. They don't typically roll away when you place your body weight on them.

Benefit of BakBallsThe benefit of Bakballs is that the design helps to keep the balls evenly positioned on either side of the spine. They also feel more consistent in terms of pressure than tennis balls, which can be feel too hard. Their overall size also seems to be a better "fit" for pressing into trigger points. The downside is that since the gadget is a single piece, you can't move the two balls further apart to get different areas of the muscle. That said, you can simply move the whole gadget to one side of the spine to hit a larger muscle area, and then move the whole gadget to get the other side. coach factory outlet online

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