One of my favorite questions to be asked at Glow is, “What can I do?” Playing an active role in your healthcare is so powerful. We say it often: your body is amazing. You are AWESOME for taking good care of it.
There are many things you can do to support health and encourage healing. Page 8 of our Playbook summarizes it nicely with graphics. This post will focus on my favorite self-care tools to recommend. They are easy to purchase and offer very cost-effective results. These tools allow self care in your own home and on your own schedule.
Lacrosse Ball
A lacrosse ball is my favorite self care tool. For only a few euros you get a tool that helps the muscles and tissues of so many parts of your body. The ball helps you to release tension or knots in your soft tissues with a simple combination of pressure and movement. I demonstrate how to use the ball in many areas in this video.
Although a demonstration is helpful to get started, you will quickly see that the ball is very simple to use and does not require special skills. Lacrosse balls hardly take up any space to store and they can even be used by people who are not very mobile.
Foam Roller
A foam roller is a similar tool to a lacrosse ball in helping release trigger points. In addition, it allows you to address large muscles more easily. You can quickly “scan” large muscles to find the area or trigger point that needs more attention.
There are so many videos available on how to use the foam roller for specific areas. For example, here is a video I recommend for foam rolling quadriceps. Foam rollers are a great tool for mobile people who can easily get up and down from the floor.
Neck Traction Device
A neck traction device helps relieve pressure in the neck joints and the many nerves that travel through the neck. It can be particularly good for people with discogenic symptoms (such as disc herniation), neck pain, or shoulder tension. This device is like a travel neck pillow that you pump up with air.
The amount of air is the important part– too little air means it won’t work and too much air means your neck/jaw will feel worse after instead of better. The goal is to have the device just full enough that you cannot easily open your jaw. It is important to relax while wearing the device, so you can use it while doing something you enjoy like meditating or watching Netflix.
Resistance Band
A resistance band allows you to do many exercises that have a big impact on improving your posture and reducing pain. I demonstrate some of those exercises in this video. I particularly love resistance bands for their effect on complaints of the neck, shoulders, and upper back.
Many of us have tight muscles from the time spent using electronic devices with poor posture. Resistance bands strengthen those tight muscles, teaching them to contract and relax and lengthen. Bands are a very versatile tool and are easy to take with you anywhere.
If you would like specific recommendations for your self care, just ask. I am always happy to share how you can use these tools to address your personal needs. See you at Glow!