A massage roller ball is a manual or automated massager that is often used for relieving pain, reducing stress, and delaying muscle soreness. Do you often observe pain in your neck, shoulders, back, or legs before or after working out, or when you are sitting or working for long hours, your muscles get stiff?
For example, have you ever wondered if you work on your computer restlessly during your office hours, then as soon as you reach home, you feel exhausted? This is because our muscles get painful, stiff, and sometimes inflamed under continuous pressure. This is when the massage roller ball enters into the picture. A massage roller ball helps relieve muscle stiffness, soreness, inflammation, and aids in better muscle movement. It is a tool that helps in relaxing yourself, giving you instant pain relief.
How will massage roller balls help you?
It will help you if you do one of these:
- Sit for long hours on a chair or bench
- Work out or exercise for more than 3 hours
- Lift heavy loads every day
- Walk or stand for more than 5-6 hours a day
Physiotherapists see many office workers and athletes getting sore muscles. Rather than depending on pharmacological treatments, one can go for conventional yet harmless methods such as using massage roller balls to relieve the pain and stiffness. Particularly, nurses who stand for long hours can gain maximum benefits as it will prevent them from deep venous thrombosis or DVT.
What is the Mechanism of a Massage Roller Ball?
A massage roller ball helps in stimulating blood circulation and decreasing muscle tension and stiffness. It massages the pressure or stress points and relieves pain, soreness, and inflammation. The areas on which it is the most effective are the neck, shoulders, back, legs, and hips.
Why Should you Keep a Massage Roller Ball? And What are its Benefits?
We have jotted down some classical benefits of using massage roller balls. Read on to explore more about its advantages and usage techniques.
Reduced Muscle Soreness
Research shows that using a massage roller ball after exercising delayed the muscles’ inflammation, stiffness, and soreness. When we compared the results to the control group on which they applied no interventions, we found that they got muscle pain and stiffness sooner and faster.
Ideally, it is recommended to use a massage roller ball for about 15-20 mins after working out. For even better results, repeat this once every 24-48 hours post-exercise.
You should apply a massage roller ball to pressure areas, including the neck, shoulders, hips, and legs.
Stress Relief
It is an excellent stress reliever and helps one to relax. Many patients in physiotherapists’ clinics have reported a sense of calm after applying massage roller to the pressure points. This is because the ball loosens the muscles and fights rigidity, stiffness, and tightness.
It is observed that if one runs on a treadmill for 20-30 mins, and after exercising, uses a massage roller ball for about 30 mins, there’s a significant decrease in muscle soreness. This is because it helps muscles to relax as it presses the pressure points that help alleviate stress.
Flexibility
A massage roller ball improves muscle flexibility and stretchability. Furthermore, it heightens and increases the range of motion, which represents the overall moment of the body. Plus it aids in the fine and smooth movement of muscles and hence results in better flexibility.
A recent study concludes that athletes who use massage roller balls after they work out have more muscle flexibility than those who perform simple stretching. It generally improved their range of motion by loosening the muscle tension and tightness.
For better results, we recommend you use a foam massage roller ball and stretching after each round of exercise.
Back Pain
Whether you are training your upper body or lower body, your back is most prone to get stressed. A foam-based massage roller is the best way to reduce the stress and pain on your back.
However, learning proper techniques is essential. We have often seen people putting the roller horizontally on their back which is risky and harmful. Your back can quickly get injured or tense.
We recommend you put the roller vertically and move it side by side, keeping it in line with your spinal curvature. Studies prove that it is more effective than using a massage roller horizontally in up and down motion.
How to use a massage roller ball?
Using a massage rollerball with a proper technique will help you attain maximum benefits. It enables you to untie the knots and relax various muscle groups.
Shoulders
Lean back on a wall and place the ball a little above your shoulder blade. Start moving the ball by applying a little pressure up, down, and side to side for 5 mins. If you find a knot, try to hold the ball for a few seconds to release it.
Back
Similarly, lean back on the wall and place the ball between your back and wall. Now move the ball side to side for relaxing the muscle tone. It is always recommended to use a foam-based massage roller for the back since it is far more prone to get injured.
Neck
Hold a massage roller ball in your hand and move it up and down in a circular motion on the neck. Massage your trapezius located between your neck and shoulders.
Feet
You can massage your feet both in a standing or sitting position. Place a massage roller ball between your feet and the floor and start moving the ball up and down.
Buttocks
Place the ball between your buttocks muscles and a wall. Lean back and assert minimal pressure enough to fix the ball. Move the ball around the soft muscles present in up, down, and side to side directions. Be careful not to press too harshly.
Conclusion
It is highly convenient to keep a massage roller ball since it is handy and lightweight. I often recommend my patients and colleagues keep it at their desks and use it every 2 hours for 5 minutes. This technique helps them to relax and calm down. Plus, they have reported less muscular pain after they went home.
Also, a massage roller ball serves as an excellent stress reliever and dopamine stimulator for athletes and sportspeople. It helps the muscles to relax and prevents stiffening, inflammation, and tightening. Moreover, it should be used correctly and for the mentioned time for better results.
