DIY Massage Using Sports Gear
Are you looking for a massage that goes deeper than just a basic back rub? The answer may be found as close as your garage, in the form of a lacrosse ball. The sport can be thanked for providing relief to sore muscles everywhere. We found out about the lacrosse ball’s usefulness for self-massage while talking with a few emergency room nurses who used to keep the balls within reach at the nurses’ station. In between seeing patients, the nurses used the balls to give each other shoulder massages, relieving those muscles which had been turning patients, lifting people out of wheelchairs, along with many other strenuous physical activities. The hard rubber, solid balls, are excellent tools to use for self-massage. Alone or with the help of a friend, the balls can bring about a new level of relaxation following these few simple massages anyone can do.
For many years, podiatrists have recommended sufferers of plantar fasciitis (foot pain) to roll their feet on a can of soup after they wake up in the morning. But the lacrosse ball can be used in precisely the same way, and it doesn’t make the room look untidy. It tucks away in a drawer when done. For sore feet, place the ball on the floor, and with your foot either with socks on or without, begin to roll the ball under pressure from your feet all along the fascia (bottom) of your foot. As you do, gently increase the pressure until you feel the ball breaking up the lactic acid crystals that form in the bottom of the feet, causing much of the felt pain. While you won’t be able to hear those crystals breaking up, you’ll definitely be able to feel it. After the crunching of the crystals goes away, you’re ready to take your first steps of the day.
Shoulder massages are just as easy to do with the lacrosse ball. And one benefit of using the ball for shoulder massages is the fact that a deep massage can happen without removing any outer clothing. This massage is better done with the help of a friend. Begin by rolling the ball along the shoulder muscles, and along the neck. Then, begin to work your way along the shoulder blades, and around the connecting muscles. Later, while leaning onto a table, your friend can really go to work on your lower back muscles with the lacrosse ball, pressing as hard as you can tolerate, and making sure to roll the ball in a circular motion.
For those who don’t have a partner, the lacrosse ball can be used to massage arm and chest muscles; the biceps, triceps, and pectoral muscles. While sitting, use the lacrosse ball to massage the thigh muscles, calves and all along the shins. If your derriere needs a massage, using a wall as a brace and with your backside to it, place the ball between you and the wall. Then, start to move in a circular motion so that the ball can effectively massage the glutes where you’re experiencing pain.
For some, the best part about the lacrosse ball may be its price. A quick check shows that the lacrosse ball comes in a pack of three (orange, green, white) for about $10. For a fraction of the price of a professional shoulder and neck massage, the lacrosse ball holds promise in bringing comfort to scores of people who need a quick relief from sore muscles.
