While I was doing a Nia DVD today, I kept sensing some discomfort in my back. I have a spot, a muscle I guess, that sometimes becomes “whiny”. I think that particular spot on my back, directly next to my backbone to the right, right at the edge of my shoulder-blade, holds all of my stress and tension. When it came to the floorplay exercise portion of the Nia workout I was focused on my back. It was really getting my attention. I have had a student assisting me with my toe/foot and she often says she is “releasing it”. I wondered if I could touch my back and “release” it. So I did. I pressed on the spot that was speaking to me so loudly. It seemed to help. I believe in the power of touch. But since it is a place on my back that is needing touch it is not easy for me to get the entire area. While I was laying on the floor I was wishing I had a tennis ball to roll on.
Have you ever heard that? Using a tennis ball to massage your back. I had a friend who mentioned to me that she was told to put a couple of tennis balls in a sock and roll on them. You can roll on them against a wall or on the floor, whichever is most comfortable for you. I had heard to use the balls, but I hadn’t heard of the sock until she mentioned it. The tennis balls could be used to massage more than just your back, you could roll it under your legs or on your arms.
I don’t have tennis ball, but I do have a rather large “super ball”. I don’t know if that is what it is called, but that is what I remember we used to call them when I was young. You know those balls that bounce really well? It is a “The Incredibles” ball. It is kind of old so it is yellowed. It is also really hard. Much more hard than a tennis ball and a little smaller. I remembered that the last time I saw it I had used it for my foot and it was in the entertainment center. How convenient? It was right there. YAY!
At first I tried using it while laying on the floor. That didn’t work so well because it was difficult to roll on the floor without using my elbows which, in doing so, caused me to rise away from the ball. Plus the ball is really hard. So I used it with the wall. I leaned on the ball while it was on the wall. WOW! Awesome. I think the muscle that gets annoyed is small and there was almost a clicking sound as the ball rolled over it. That is how tight and grumpy it was. As I mentioned, I had used the ball on my feet before, it is a great foot massagerm just rolling it under my foot, but I hadn’t used it on my back. Glad I thought of that.
So what do you think? Have you heard of using tennis balls to massage sore muscles? Have you ever tried it? Do you use the sock method? Oh do tell, I would love to hear about it. It could definitely help with DOMS. What do you say?
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