Having a ball?

Previously I have written my guide to foam rolling parts 1 & 2.  Now I want to explore the uses for another self-massage tool, the spikey ball.  I would recommend you use both a foam roller and a spikey ball the reason is that for some parts of the body it is easier to use a spikey ball, for example:

Releasing the feet

Stand on one leg use a chair or the wall for balance.  Roll one foot at a time over the ball for a good few minutes.  Include the heel, the outside edge and the instep.  Push down stronger into any area to deepen the intensity.  Do each foot separately.

Between the shoulders

A common area of tension with modern postural habits is between the shoulder blades.  You can easily reach this area with a ball placed anywhere between the shoulder blades and move up and down against the wall.  One tip to stop the ball dropping it to put it in a long sock or stocking, drap it over your shoulder and then hold it in your hand.

Lower back – Under sacrum and glutes

You can use the floor of resistance to press your weight into or when lying to let gravity give you a help in hand.  Simply lie on the floor, bend your knees but keep your feet flat on the floor.  Then place the ball underneath your sacrum – the large triangular bone that forms part of your pelvis.  Now move just gently move your sacrum and glutes all over the ball.   If it feels safe to do so your can bring your knees into your chest to add additional pressure.  This will help release off your lower back.

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    References J Holt-Lunstad, T B Smith, J B Layton (2010) Social Relationships and Mortality Risk: A Meta-analytic Review, Plos Medicine NK Steffens, T Cruwys, C Haslam, J Jetten, S A Haslam Social group memberships in retirement are associated with reduced risk of premature death: evidence from a longitudinal cohort study, BMJ Open Volume 6 Issue 2 D Reed, D McGee, K Yano, M Feinleib (1983) Social Networks and coronary heart disease among Japanese men in Hawaii, American Journal of Epidemiology 117(4) 384-96
    DC Classen, SL Pestotnik, JF Lloyd, JP Burke (1997) Adverse drug events in hospitalised patients.  Excess length of stay, extra costs and attributable mortality JAMA   Jan 22-29;277(4):301-6.
    F Tabassum, J Mohan, P Smith (2016) Association of volunteering with mental well-being: a lifecourse analysis of a national population-based longitudinal study in the UK BMJ Open 6(8)
    A Moe, O Hellzen, K Ekker, I Enmarker (2013) Inner strength in relation to perceived physical and mental health among the oldest old people with chronic illness Aging Mental Health 17(2):189-96.
    M P Aranda (2008) Relationship between religious involvement and psychological well-being: a social justice perspective Health and Social Work 33 (1): 9 - 21
    M Tarrant, K Warmoth, C Code, S Dean, V A Goodwin, K Stein, T Sugavanam (2016) Creating psyhcological connections between intervention recipients: development and focus group evaluation of a group singing session for people with aphasia BMJ Open 2016; 6(2)

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