Yoga Therapy Balls: The Recovery Tool You Didn’t Know You Needed
We’ve all experienced aches, pains, and soreness that go beyond what can be remedied by stretching – or even taking a yoga class.
When these pains feel like more than just a twinge (have you ever woken up and not been able to turn your head in one direction?), we often feel helpless – or rely on anti-inflammatories or pain medications for relief, which is not ideal for a number of reasons.
There’s a better, natural solution: yoga therapy balls.
What Are Yoga Therapy Balls?
My Yoga Essentials Therapy Balls are designed for trigger point self massage. Trigger points are those kinks in your back, or the tight, ropy strands in your neck. They are sensitive, tight muscle fibers that form in your body after injury, overuse or psychological stress. Trigger points often arise from sustained repetitive activities, like lifting heavy objects at work or working on a computer all day. No single factor is responsible for the development of trigger points. These typically show up as dense knots in your muscles that can feel impossible to release through stretching or traditional massage. They are areas where your muscles have tensed up and refused to let go. Pressing on the muscle knots, called a trigger point self-massage, is a great place to start. The simple pressure can help muscles relax.
Yoga therapy balls are designed to release these trigger points by applying direct, sustained pressure to the affected area. In contrast to what we typically think of as a massage, the benefits of yoga therapy balls come from holding pressure to the trigger point without kneading or rolling around. Upon releasing the trigger point, fresh blood flow aids in the recovery of the problem area.
Here’s how to self-massage:
- Find the tight spots
- Place your therapy ball so that it presses firmly into the trigger points (you may need to lay on the floor, or position yourself against a wall).
- Repeat for three to five minutes, ideally as often as five or six times per day.
The amount of pressure you allow is up to you. Initially, it may feel uncomfortable, but should not cause intense pain, likely indicating an injury rather than muscle tension. After each use, your muscles should feel looser. Over time, regular trigger point massage can help bring longer lasting relief.
The Benefits of Yoga Therapy Balls
There are a variety of benefits gain from using yoga therapy balls:
- Decrease pain in specific muscular areas
- Reduce headaches with daily use on the neck and upper back
- Expand your range of motion
- Increase flexibility when yoga therapy balls are combined with stretching
- Decrease soreness after workouts when used regularly
- Calm your nervous system – eliminating pain turns off your “fight or flight” reaction
Experience Relief
My Yoga Essentials Yoga Therapy Balls are sold by the pair in a handy storage bag. Experience targeted self-massage trigger point muscle therapy with our specially designed, dense, anti-microbial, high grip cork massage balls that help penetrate through layers of skin and muscle to massage deeply into your high tension areas. You’ll gain relief from pain – whether you’re experiencing headaches, back pain, plantar fasciitis, or anything in between.
You can order your Yoga Therapy Balls by following this link. Questions about these or any other of our products? Don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re here to help enhance your yoga practice.
About the Writer
Krystle Sangillo is a Dallas-based yoga instructor and the manager of Uptown Yoga’s location in the north suburbs. She received her 200-hour certification in 2015 and has been practicing for a decade. When she’s not practicing or teaching yoga, she spends quality time with her young daughter, tends to her home full of houseplants, and works as a marketing copywriter and content manager.
