Ball on the Wall
 

Hello! So I saw somewhere on here recs to use a tennis ball against the wall to relieve back/neck pain.

I've read a few sites and given it a try, but would be interested in hearing advice/experiance from you guys.

I'm having a bit of a relapse again, stressful events and just pushing myself to far. My right side of my body is always tense/curled in by afternoon now, with pain in the joints. I limp and do not have full movement of my arm, all very frustrating.

So, my back is just full of trigger points, it always has been but I do think the months aftr injury have compounded this. I strongly suspect I've been compensating fr the weakness/split feeling and this has meant muscles have got a bit wonky. Dont want to ris letting it gt worse.

With the ball, it says you get a sense of release when it works, lie a ball deflating. All I got was the expected pain, and the ease a massgae normaly, and briefly grants. Found that I got shooting pains in my limbs and numbness in fingers, and an increase in headache.

My shoulde does feel slightly freerer, and is crunching away when I move it.

Hows about you?

I just read the other thread that mentioned the tennis ball again.
I must try that. I have a lot of spinal issues. They're not too bad these days but if I overdo it I get crippling spasms and pain. It's a great idea and thanks for the reminder.

I also like the idea Mark suggested about what we here call pool noodles (known in other places as a water weenie I guess ;) )

That would work wonders for me as a support when I'm a passenger in the car. For some reason I'm fine in the driver's seat but the passenger seat seems to be built differently or something. It might be the angle of the seat and it needs tilting more under my knees but I don't think it can be changed.

great ideas.

No worries, I did want to post on that thread...but couldn't for the life of me remember which one it was!

Do you think it is your posture in the car? when driving you will have square set shoulders and raised arms. In passenger seat, presumably, arms mostly down and a bit of slouching or twisting to talk to driver??

Big thanks to the poster who originally bough it up. Although I used to do it and a firend reminded me a while ago...i just forgot. My knots/trigger point are like rocks and suspet a foam tube thing will be too soft...I can push quite hard with a tennis ball.

I've been doing an est of 3x20mins sessions a day. The pain and stiffness is still there, I didnt expect miracles, but I do think its generally helping and it certainly provides relief afterards...though the tingling/numbness is rather strange.

Hi _Ash_,

Yes, you're right. It could be the posture difference as well, although it's mainly the angle of the seat I think. It's the most uncomfortable seat I've ever sat in as a passenger. Most seats have a lever to move it around more, but this one doesn't go up or down at the front of the seat. It leaves my knees too low and I'm tall so it puts a lot of pressure on my lumbar spine. I do better with my knees bent more.

Usually I use a cushion but I don't like leaving it in the car in the heat and the humidity all the time. When I get out of the passenger seat after a couple of hours in the car, I can barely move. It's quite comical really. :o