Tennis Ball Massage for Myofascial Pain Syndrome

Some creative tips on using an ordinary tennis ball and other massage tools to self-treat muscle knots and myofascial trigger pointsby Paul Ingraham, Vancouver, Canada BIOCredentials & qualifications. I am a science journalist and former massage therapist. I’m wrapping up a Bachelor of Health Sciences degree, and I am on the editorial team of Science-Based Medicine. My main qualifications are many years of workaholic study of therapy science, modest clinical experience, and thousands of conversations with readers from around the world (including many experts). For more, see Who Am I to Say? Information about my qualifications, credentials and professional experiences for my readers and customers. The basic idea of tennis ball massageThe basic idea of tennis ball massage, or any massage with any kind of ball, is simply to trap the ball between your body and something else: usually the floor, sometimes a wall, another body part, and a few other creative options.

Everything else is a variation on this theme!

The therapeutic goals of tennis ball massageThe goal of tennis ball massage is to achieve a “release” by applying just the right amount of pressure: enough to do some good, but not enough to irritate the knot. The sensation should be clear and strong and satisfying, what we call “good pain.” If you are wincing or gritting your teeth, you need to be more gentle. You need to be able to relax.

Once you have adjusted yourself to achieve the right pressure, relax as much as possible and wait for the sensation to fade to about eighty percent of the original intensity. This is the “release” — a change in the physiological state of the tissues, or a “melting” of the knot. This can take anywhere from ten seconds to several minutes.

Where to massage with your tennis ballTennis ball massage is usually the most effective in the muscles of the back and the hips. Many other locations are awkward (especially for beginners), and you may find it difficult or impossible to apply consistent pressure.

Lie down on a tennis ball, placing it in approximately the right location. You do not have to be precise. “Explore” by moving slowly and gently, until you’ve got just the right spot.

The sensation should be clear and strong and satisfying; it should have a relieving, welcome quality — this is what we call “good pain.”

See the “Perfect Spots” series of articles for several highly recommended places for massage.

Tips and tricks for longer lasting trigger point releaseTrigger point massage often provides only temporary relief. Here are some basic tips and tricks to help make it last as long as possible:

• Treat only a few knots at a time, starting with the worst spots.
• Use heat in conjunction with treatment.
• Avoid fatiguing the muscle for about 24 hours after treatment.
• Move and stretch the muscles after the release of each knot.

Why tennis balls work for trigger pointsA knot or trigger point is a clenched patch of muscle tissues. The nerve that controls the muscle is firing too quickly, and the tissue is full of waste molecules produced by the “revving” tissue.

Pressure probably has two main therapeutic effects on muscle knots: it creates a small, local stretch that tends to inhibit the motor nerve and/or separates sarcomeres to the point of breaking the vicious cycle of spasm, and it deforms the tissue and literally squashes stagnant tissue fluids out of the area.

The massage profession is predominately made up of women. ABMP reports that close to 83 percent are women. I have written about this topic before and there always seems to be more to be said about this. We need more men to be massage therapists!
Men are often intimidated in choosing a massage career. There are stories of men being discriminated against at spas or clinics with receptionists first asking if the caller wants a female or male massage therapist. The stigma is that women won’t want a male because they are intimidated by men or may have a past issue with men and they are untrusting of men. Men don’t want to be massaged by men thinking that the male massage therapist must be gay or that they will be thought of in less then favorable ways if they go to a male massage therapist. So who is left to go to a male massage therapist?
I for one am in a phase of only going to male massage therapists right now. The thing like the best is that men don’t seem to get caught up as much in some of the boundary issues that women do. Women seem to want to chat about everything and they want to offer all of their suggestions for healing or eating right or whatever it is when I just want a massage. I guess I have had male massage therapists talk the whole time too but I seem to find more male massage therapists who are just there to do the massage.
Working with a male massage therapist also helps teach us that males can be nurturing which can be good for either sex- female or male.
I have had males calling seeking male massage therapists (and not for a gay male exchange). Men have been hurt by women and men too so that a male working with a male massage therapist can receive the healing around gender issues that they need too.
Share you stories about working with male massage therapists by posting here. Posting on blogs is also a good way to get back links to your website which in turn helps you get a better Page Rank with Google.
What other issues are there in working with male massage therapists? How can we support men in choosing a career in massage? What do men need to know before choosing this career?
See also:
Male issues discussed at www.thebodyworker.com
The Male Massage Therapist -www.male-massage-therapist.com