For today’s blog, Airrosti’s Dr. Amanda Gibson highlights two exercises that you can perform at home using just a lacrosse ball! Read more to learn how to tackle neck and low back pain.
Every time I speak with a potential patient, I’m surprised at how few know how to be their own body mechanic. Everyone has a right to the knowledge that can ease aches and pains. By dedicating a little time every day, you can get back into the driver’s seat of your life and leave your physical pain behind.
After I was introduced to my lacrosse ball, I went to work on myself. I started self-massaging my nagging shoulder pain from an old rock climbing injury and my aching right hip that had been giving me trouble on my long runs. Learning how to use this inexpensive tool to dig deep into my tissue has saved my body and allowed me to continue living the active life I enjoy.
Teaching mobility classes in my community has shown me that despite our differences, we all share two things: we all have too much tension in our lives, and we all have too little time to care for ourselves. Taking just a few minutes for yourself daily will help decrease your stress and bring blood flow to those starving, painful tissues. Below are two exercises to help relieve some of the common places people hold tension.
Shoulder And Neck Pain — Upper Trap
- Place a ball (tennis, lacrosse, baseball) onto the top of the shoulder as you bend 90 degrees at the hips. Keep your feet staggered, and balance the ball between yourself and a wall.
- Relax your shoulder and gently lean into the ball while breathing.
- Apply pressure as you search for tight and tender spots by slowly moving the ball around the area.
- Stop immediately if you experience numbness or tingling.
Low Back And Hip Pain —Glute Medius
- Stand with your back against a wall and place a ball against your upper butt.
- For greater pressure stand farther from the wall, leaning harder into the ball.
- Slowly, search in a horseshoe-shaped path around the hip for tender spots.
- Breathe deeply and relax into the pressure.
- Continue for approximately two minutes per side.
At Airrosti, we pinpoint the cause of your pain, manually work it out by applying deep pressure, then teach you how to work on yourself for lasting results. Try these two exercises if you’re having issues in these areas. If you need deeper relief and want to learn more about self-care, schedule an appointment to work with an Airrosti Provider and start living pain free today.
Read our Medical Disclaimer here.
