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Your most versatile self-care tool


Canada's national sport also brings us my favourite, portable #selfcare tool -- the lacrosse ball!



Having one (or two) of these on hand can be great to help keep your tension symptoms managed. Throw one in your purse, or leave it in your car, and you will always have a handy tool at your finger tips.

Fun to throw around, sure. Maybe practice juggling? Great. But what do we really do with it for self care?

Roll!

You've heard of a foam roller for rolling out tension in big muscle groups? Rolling on a lacrosse ball helps in a similar way, but is really great for getting into those small, specific "knots" or areas of tension.

Here are some of my most recommended places to self-massage with a lacrosse ball:

  • Back of the shoulder blade: How many times have we reached over our shoulder to grab hold of a particularly tight area? There's a lacrosse ball for that! Wedge the ball between your shoulder and a flat surface (upright against a wall, or laying flat on the floor are best); use your body weight to control the pressure, and make slight movements to massage with the ball where it feels good!

  • Back of the hip: Nagging pain through the back of your hip? Especially after exercise? Feel like you can never get a good enough stretch? Try rolling on a ball to reach a specific area. Rotate the hip in and out to find the sweet spot.

  • Bottoms of the feet: Plantar fasciitis? Tired feet after a long day of standing? Sore feet after wearing less-than optimal shoes? Lacrosse balls are great for rolling out the entire bottom of your foot. Start at the heel, and roll your way out to the base of the toes. Work the ball all the way through the arch. Use your body weight while standing to modify the pressure that you apply. See how good your feet feel afterwards.

  • Back of the neck/base of the skull: We call this the occipital region, and it is my all-time, most utilized, personal favourite place to use a lacrosse ball. Actually, I use two here. While laying on your back in a relaxed position, place the balls right at the base of the skull where you are likely feeling a lot of tension. Slowly nod your head yes and no to massage through all of those tiny muscles at the top of your neck. When you are done, get up slowly.
    Tip: drop two lacrosse balls into a sock and tie it off to create a peanut shape. This prevents the balls from rolling away, and fits pretty perfectly to access the muscle areas on either side of your spine. You may also want to use a yoga block, or a few solid books to elevate the head before placing the balls down. This tends to put the balls in a better position for massaging.

Have another area that you love to address with a lacrosse ball? I'd love to hear how you use it!

A lacrosse ball can also be substituted with a tennis ball -- lacrosse balls just offer firmer support.

Bowmanville, ON Registered Massage Therapist
@rmtalisonsimic on Facebook and Instagram

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Location: Bowmanville, ON, Canada

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