How To Use A Massage Ball
- Fascia, Massage
Learning how to use a massage ball effectively is a delight for getting tension and pain out of those hard-to-reach areas on your body. They are ideal for those living an active lifestyle but who want to save money on massages.
You may be wondering how best to use a massage ball. That’s exactly what we’re going to cover in this article. You’ll also find out how to pick the best ball for your needs and be on your way to some much-needed pain relief.
Perform Better Pro-ED (previously QPEC) combines 70+ years of experience in the health and fitness industry. Our dedicated team of fitness professionals thrive on training, coaching and imparting our knowledge through the latest research, education, fitness equipment, nutrition, and training methods. Also, be sure to explore our range of massage and therapy balls – we have balls for every budget and specification.
With that out the way, let’s roll.
What Is A Massage Ball?
A massage ball is a small, hard ball that might be smooth or have gentle protrusions and is used for massaging your own body. It’s a perfect addition to your home if you are active or suffer chronic pain! They are affordable and easily fit in a bag or suitcase, so you can carry them wherever you go.
The wonderful thing about a massage ball is that you don’t need someone else to help you with it. You can use it at home or the office for quick relief from painful knots anywhere on your body, saving you money on regular trips to your local masseuse.
Massage balls also help increase blood circulation to the target areas, relax your muscles, and ease tension. When your muscles are relaxed, you work and sleep better, lowering your stress levels.
Massage balls are also great if you tend to sit in one place, likely at a desk, for a long time. A massage ball can be used in different ways, depending on what part of your body you want to massage.
The difference between Tune Up Balls and other balls
It’s important to understand the differences between Tune Up Therapy Balls and other massage balls.
The Tune Up Balls are a set of self-massage trigger point therapy balls with a non-slip grip to give you more control and precision. Our balls are the perfect density – not too hard, not too soft. They will form to your body so you can target those painful areas without putting extra pressure on your joints. If you use a ball that is too hard, it can actually make your injury worse and cause more pain. This happens because the ball does not release the pressure on the nerve endings causing discomfort.
The different size and density options of the balls help to target specific areas of your body. The Roll Model Therapy Balls also allow for varying amounts of pressure, so you can customise your self-treatment to what works best for you.
Many people use massage balls incorrectly by pressing too hard or for too long, or they simply roll them up and down, causing further irritation. Instead of rolling it up and down, a circular or cross-motion allows the muscle and nerve endings to open up and stretch rather than being squeezed.
How To Use a Massage Ball On Your Back
- Lie on your back
- Place the balls underneath your back, at the area you’d like to target
- Transfer some or all of your weight onto the ball, rocking back and forth gently
How To Use a Massage Ball On Your Neck
- Place your therapy balls on a yoga block, keeping them in their tote bag
- Lay down on a mat in front of the block
- Centre the balls on your neck, and turn your neck side to side and nod it up and down, applying gentle pressure
How To Use a Massage Ball On Your Shoulders
- Lie down on a yoga mat, placing your therapy balls between your shoulder blades
- Bend your knees and place your feet on the mat
- Reach your arms overhead reaching as far as you can. Bring them back down and repeat. This will massage the muscles between your shoulder blades!
How To Use a Massage Ball On Your Foot
- Place your therapy ball under the foot, keeping them in the tote bag
- Transfer some of your weight onto the foot in question
- Roll your foot over the balls. Once your foot is nice and relaxed, reduce to one ball and repeat.
How To Use a Massage Ball On Your Buttocks And Hips
- Lie down on your back with your shoulders down
- Twist your hips over and pin your therapy balls on the side of your hip
- Slowly lower your buttocks and hips down to the ground
- Repeat on the other side
How To Use A Massage Ball On Your Hamstrings
- Sit on a chair or table (only if the table is strong enough!)
- Place a massage ball under your hamstring
- Flex and unflex your hamstring while applying your body weight onto the ball
How To Use A Massage Ball On Your Chest
- Pin a therapy ball between your chest and a wall, just to the left of your sternum
- While applying pressure, clench your pecs as hard as you can, holding for a few seconds and then releasing
- Repeat on the other side
Tip: if you want to increase the pressure, feel free to perform this exercise on the ground.
How To Use A Massage Ball On Your Quads
- Place a therapy ball on a yoga block
- Lay on top of the yoga block with the block and ball lining up with your quad
- Breathe deeply and allow the ball to remove tension from your quads. This is a real quad burner!
How To Use A Massage Ball On Your Forearms
- Place the ball on a table
- Place your forearm on top
- Apply pressure, targeting any sore areas
How to Choose the Right Massage Ball For You
Massage balls come in various shapes and sizes, from soft and round to spikey and hard. To help you along, we’ve highlighted a few of our favourites:
Best entry-level massage ball
The Alpha Ball Tune Up is a great entry-level massage ball. With a soft outer layer and dense core, this ball is great for areas of significant muscle mass and can work around bony protrusions.
Best massage ball for travel
If you’re looking for a step up from the Tune Up, the Alpha Ball Twin Set In Tote is your best bet. Compact in size and coming with its own tote bag, this pack comes with two balls for added versatility.
Best all-round massage ball kit
The Roll Model® Starter Kit features:
- 1 x pair of Roll Model® Therapy Balls in Tote (approx. 6.35cm in diameter)
- 1 x pair of Therapy Ball PLUS in Tote (approx. 7cm in diameter)
- 1 x ALPHA Ball (approx. 8.9cm in diameter
- 1 x 22.8cm air-filled Coregeous® Ball, (incl. pul and straw)
- 1 x mesh shoulder carry tote with zipper pocket. (21.5cm W x 31.75cm H)
These features mean you’re covered!
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Perform Better Pro-Ed
Perform Better Pro-Ed (previously QPEC) has a combined 70+ years experience in the Health and Fitness industry. Our dedicated team of fitness professionals thrive on training, coaching and imparting our knowledge through the latest research, education, fitness equipment, nutrition and training methods.
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Perform Better Pro-Ed (previously QPEC) has a combined 70+ years experience in the Health and Fitness industry.
Perform Better Pro-Ed (previously QPEC) has a combined 70+ years experience in the Health and Fitness industry.
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