Self-myofascial Release for Back Pain Relief
Two tennis balls in a sock.
It doesn’t look like much. But it’s a tool for self-massage that can be a life saver.
I’d been turned on to this little body-saving gem after weeks and weeks of sitting at my desk had wreaked havoc on my spinal erectors and multifidus muscles (due to my severe scoliosis). I felt tied up, tight, and uncomfortable when sitting, walking, and lying down. I noticed that after so many weeks with no healthy movement, my range of motion was so limited I could not even do the Hauber Method™ exercises! It was bad. Really, really bad.
I didn’t have access to a deep tissue or myofascial massage (two of my favorite forms of body work) at the time. But I knew that the pain radiating through my right hip and buttocks was caused by this tight group of back muscles and their attending fascia.
Thanks to the genius of my Chapel Hill, NC-based massage therapist, I was ready to handle it. He’d once suggested that I build a self-massage tool out of two tennis balls and an old tube sock so I could use it while traveling. I dug it out of my big box of fitness toys and put my exercise mat on the floor.
It doesn’t look like much. But it’s a tool for self-massage that can be a life saver.
I’d been turned on to this little body-saving gem after weeks and weeks of sitting at my desk had wreaked havoc on my spinal erectors and multifidus muscles (due to my severe scoliosis). I felt tied up, tight, and uncomfortable when sitting, walking, and lying down. I noticed that after so many weeks with no healthy movement, my range of motion was so limited I could not even do the Hauber Method™ exercises! It was bad. Really, really bad.
I didn’t have access to a deep tissue or myofascial massage (two of my favorite forms of body work) at the time. But I knew that the pain radiating through my right hip and buttocks was caused by this tight group of back muscles and their attending fascia.
Thanks to the genius of my Chapel Hill, NC-based massage therapist, I was ready to handle it. He’d once suggested that I build a self-massage tool out of two tennis balls and an old tube sock so I could use it while traveling. I dug it out of my big box of fitness toys and put my exercise mat on the floor.
Within minutes, I was lying on my back, the tennis ball-filled sock wedged under my lumbar spine, wincing and gasping at the intense lightning rods of pain signaling that the fascia of my lower back was, indeed, horribly tight.
After 3 minutes, I could feel the warm heat of release radiating deep into my hip joint. It almost made me cry.
After 10 minutes, I had released my lower back enough to actually roll on the ball without wincing.
Two days and 4 self-myofascial sessions later--each one shorter and less intense the last--I had more flexibility in my right side (my “curved” side) than I’d had in months. All thanks to this inexpensive, simple method for achieving myofascial release.
After 3 minutes, I could feel the warm heat of release radiating deep into my hip joint. It almost made me cry.
After 10 minutes, I had released my lower back enough to actually roll on the ball without wincing.
Two days and 4 self-myofascial sessions later--each one shorter and less intense the last--I had more flexibility in my right side (my “curved” side) than I’d had in months. All thanks to this inexpensive, simple method for achieving myofascial release.
Here, I am using just one tennis ball. But always start with two so the pressure is less intense.
I am a big fan of skilled, effective body work. I will always pay for the best deep and myofascial work I can find (be sure to read this post to learn the specific types of body work I recommend as a complement to THM participation).
But when the situation is dire, when I am traveling, or if time and money are tight, there is simply nothing like two tennis balls in a sock to help take the edge off.
Thanks to a few short self-myofascial sessions, I can do my favorite Hauber Method™ sessions with full range of motion. I can also sit for hours, with proper posture and without hip pain, planning my workshops and feeling empowered to take care of myself. Life is good.
And you can join me! I’ve incorporated myofascial release into each series of the Hauber Method™ since 2014. You’ll learn simple and super-effective techniques for using a tennis ball-filled sock just like the one shown above (and alternatives, such as larger therapy balls and foam rollers of different densities).
If you want to see what the muscles of the back actually look like inside the body, check out this article from the Journal of Anatomy. The photos are amazing!
But when the situation is dire, when I am traveling, or if time and money are tight, there is simply nothing like two tennis balls in a sock to help take the edge off.
Thanks to a few short self-myofascial sessions, I can do my favorite Hauber Method™ sessions with full range of motion. I can also sit for hours, with proper posture and without hip pain, planning my workshops and feeling empowered to take care of myself. Life is good.
And you can join me! I’ve incorporated myofascial release into each series of the Hauber Method™ since 2014. You’ll learn simple and super-effective techniques for using a tennis ball-filled sock just like the one shown above (and alternatives, such as larger therapy balls and foam rollers of different densities).
If you want to see what the muscles of the back actually look like inside the body, check out this article from the Journal of Anatomy. The photos are amazing!
“Self-myofascial Release for Back Pain Relief,” by Sara Hauber.
Originally published as “My Favorite Cheap DIY Massage” in 2014; updated and republished on December 5, 2019.
Originally published as “My Favorite Cheap DIY Massage” in 2014; updated and republished on December 5, 2019.
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