So what kind of rollin’ am I doing for pain relief? Set aside your dubious conclusions of me and I’ll lay it out for you. Since the summer of 2008, I have been plagued with relentless daily headaches and tense neck and shoulders. This is quite odd, considering I hardly ever got headaches before.
I’ve narrowed it down to the crap I’ve acquired since last year: increased stress, increased weight, loss of flexibility, loss of endurance, and loss of strength.
You might say, “Just get back into shape and everything will be fine.” A novel idea… yes, and I did think of that as well. One of my roadblocks is the chronic pain I get along with the zapped energy levels of my lifestyle. I seem to succumb to this roadblock more often than not.
However, I have discovered a method for melting the tension and evaporating the pain.
This method requires the use of 2 different types of balls. A tennis ball and a medicine ball. I’ll give you 1 of the several routines I do with 2 exercises for each ball.
Table of Contents
Medicine Ball
- First, loosen up your back by lying supine on the medicine ball.
- Then, lightly rock back and forth so that you feel the ball up and down your spine, stretching the limbs on the side you’re leaning on.
- Once that is finished, straighten your arms out, overhead, while adjusting your head so you are looking at the floor.
Tennis Ball
- Then grab a tennis ball, and lay on the ball, on a flat surface.
- I like to start with the ball pressing against the meat above the shoulder in the lower trapezius area.
- Then roll your body back so that the ball travels from upper to lower back, lateral to your spine.
- Then finish with the ball logged in the upper shoulder. Close your eyes and relax.
- Repeat both exercises on the other side.
Observations
It WILL be uncomfortable the first time you do this. Not only that, it will feel awkward. But, when you’re done, you will feel surprisingly better. The pain may not go away the first time you do it. It took me about 1 week to fully relax and alleviate the pain.
I will begin to do this daily once I get used to it until I no longer need to do it daily. Once the chronic pain and tightness are gone I can hit the fitness part a little harder and continue onward with my goals.
It may also be a good idea to incorporate a foam roller for larger muscle groups and fascia.
Try it, be safe, and enjoy the benefits of this therapy.