How to take care of yourself when you can’t get a massage:

part 2

By Remedial Massage Therapist Matt Granato

Because of the coronavirus/covid-19 lockdowns, many of us who use massage as a way to relieve pain and tension are feeling stiff and sore. In this short article I’ll provide a few tips on how to take care of yourself when you can’t get a remedial massage.

For tension in the back and shoulder blades: Massage Ball Techniques

My favourite way to use a massage ball is to put the ball on the floor, lay down on top of it with the ball directly under your sore spot, and relax the body as gravity does the work for you. You can lie still to gain an effect similar to trigger point therapy, or you can roll over the ball for an effect similar to deep tissue massage.

Massage Ball Technique #1 – Two balls in a sock

This will massage the muscles and connective tissues that run vertically either side of the spine. Tennis balls will also work if you don’t own massage balls. Alternatively, you can tape the balls together instead of using a sock.

• Place two massage balls in a sock and tie a knot in the end to secure them in place
• Lay on your back with the balls placed under your upper/middle back
• Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor
• Roll over the balls by extending your knees and bending them again, until you find a particularly tight spot
• Remain stationary with the balls in contact with your point of tension
• Slowly move both arms up towards the sky and then over your head.

Massage Ball Technique #2 – Arm rotations over a ball

Here’s a more advanced technique for a common problem – “knots” behind the shoulder blades. Many of us have tight spots or “knots” in the muscles just next to the shoulder blade or in between the shoulder blade and the spine.

• Lie down over the massage ball and roll over it until you find the tight spot
• Relax the body and slowly move your arm in a straight line vertically from the side of your body until it is close to your ear
• Bring the arm back down using the exact opposite movement
• Repeat this process 5-10 times
• Alternatively, extend your arm horizontally out to the side at a 90° degree angle
• Rotate arm so that the palm is up, then rotate the arm so that the palm faces the floor
• Repeat this process 5-10 times. You can do this with the elbow bent or straight.

If you find it hard to relax while doing these techniques, try getting a housemate or family member to guide your arm through the movement while you lay passively over the ball. Try to let your arm be completely floppy, a dead weight for the other person to move. This can reduce the pain of the muscle fibres contracting over the ball during active movement.

Where can I buy a massage ball?

If you are considering buying a massage ball you have a few options. Most clinics sell spikey massage balls, and these are great because their size and texture provides a strong, safe stimulation to the muscles. My personal favourite is using a lacrosse ball, which you can buy for about $25 from sports equipment stores, but savvy online shoppers can often find them for $10 or less. Lacrosse balls are firmer and smaller than a traditional spikey ball, which means they can really dig into those hard to reach places such as “knots” behind the shoulder blades or deep gluteal muscles like piriformis. Just be careful you don’t go too hard on yourself when using a lacrosse ball. Tennis balls are a very cheap alternative but they are quite soft, so results may not be as strong compared to the other options.

We sell spikey balls, pocket physios, and foam rollers here at Fairfield Wellness