Making the Most of Your Spiky Ball!
Spiky massage balls are essentially your take-home Osteopath. Roll away knots and tension in your back, shoulders, neck, hips, arms, legs, buttocks, thighs, and feet. Perfect for all areas of the body!
Place the massage ball in your favorite area, slowly move your body back and forward and side to side to massage the area. Make sure you breathe normally. You can work on tight spots for 15 – 60 seconds until your muscles relax, then you could try and repeat for 15 – 90 seconds.
1. Foot
Place the therapy ball underneath your foot and apply your body weight through the foot and roll the ball from your heel towards your toes. Transfer your body weight forwards to increase the pressure. This is a great one for runners to prevent plantar fasciitis. A minute on each foot every day will work wonders.
2. Upper Back
Standing up, place the spiky ball on the muscles between your shoulder blade and your spine. Press into the wall and use your body weight to roll over the ball in order to find trigger points. Usually a desk worker's favorite.
3. Glutes/Piriformis
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Place your spiky ball underneath your buttocks and gently roll over the ball until you find a trigger point. To increase the pressure, let the knee on the affected side drop out to the side.
4. Shoulders
Most us of become a little rounded in the shoulders over time using computers and sitting a lot of the day. This causes shortening in the front of the shoulder muscles known as the pectorals. Try jamming the ball between a wall and the front of your shoulder, and getting some deep release.
5. Neck
Hold a spikey ball over your shoulder and neck, and gently massage the area. Work into tight and tender areas using a circular motion with the ball. This is a good exercise for releasing muscle tension and fatigue in the neck.