Our 4 Favourite Massage Tools & Why
At Strive Holistic, we are enthusiastic about making you fall in love with caring for your body and being able to self administer the proper self care protocols in the form of exercises, stretches, mobility, or self massage techniques needed to care for your own body in between treatments. We hope that your self care routine will be something that you look forward to in your day because it feels so darn good to care for ourselves!
While we love to provide expert level and high quality massage therapy treatments for you, we also recognize that massage therapy is simply one tool among many to help facilitate your body's own healing processes. We hope that by reading this blog, you will understand the physiological benefits that the tools listed below may provide for your body and empower yourself with the necessary knowledge to care for yourself.
Here is a simple list of four recommended massage therapy tools you can use at home, as well as my personal (as the Strive Holistic owner's) take on the benefits and purposes of each tool. I am not a huge proponent of expensive massage therapy tools, although they do have their place; I prefer basic and affordable tools that are accessible to everyone, but I do cover the benefits of a massage therapy gun as one of the proposed tools.
There are a number of massage therapy tools that can help you get even more out of your massage therapy sessions:
Foam Roller
Foam rollers are one of the most popular massage therapy tools on the market today and the most commonly known among clients.
They're great for reducing muscle tension for bigger muscle groups, moving the water and other fluids in your body to stimulate and improve lymphatic function, and improving flexibility by providing a global sustained pressure into the musculature. They're also very easy to use with common sense, allowing almost anyone to properly use a foam roller.
Simply lie on the foam roller and roll back and forth over the areas that need attention. Make sure to go slow (most people wiggle back and forth way more than what is needed for effective use) and to maintain sustained pressure on the areas that feel a little tender. When an area feels more tender or tight, it's likely a myofascial trigger point or area of tension that needs to be released.
Try applying sustained pressure to the localized area for a minimum of 30 seconds. Foam rollers come in a variety of sizes and densities, so you can choose one that's right for your needs.
Foam rollers are, however, typically only good for bigger muscle groups because of their size. For smaller muscles that really need attention, like the glute medius (on the site of the hip), the tensor fascia latae (on the front of the hip, beside the anterior superior iliac spine), or the rhomboids (between the shoulder blade and spine), I prefer a massage ball for the more hard-to-reach areas and smaller muscle groups that need just as much attention as the hamstrings or quads, where a foam roller would normally be your go to tool.
Massage Ball
Massage balls are another great massage therapy tool that can help you target specific areas of your body, and personally, they are my favourite tool!
They're small and portable, so you can take them with you wherever you go. I take a massage ball on every vacation in my luggage. Simply place the massage ball on the area that needs attention and apply pressure, or utilize your body weight to slowly and carefully lower down onto the tender area. You can use the massage ball to target specific muscles; a couple commonly needed areas of attention are the arches of your feet, the midback muscles between the shoulder blade and spine, such as the mid trapezius or rhomboids, and a very effective tool to release your upper traps by applying downward pressure onto your shoulder, using the corner of a wall or doorway. For more tips on how to become a pro with the massage ball, book an assessment and treatment with a member of our team, and we'd be happy to provide a customized self care protocol.
The only con I could perceive is that since it's a small ball, it is great for localized myofascial trigger points and areas of restriction, but is tough to cover a large area, so it's recommended to use a massage ball in conjunction with stretching, a foam roller, or mobility techniques to bring stretch and balance to the joint of the muscle that you're releasing.
I would not recommend releasing the muscle with the massage ball, and doing just one spot and going about your day. Joint release is typically most beneficial when you can work on a few different muscles attached to the joint you're working on, in addition to a couple stretches to move fluid in the joint space and create a new healthy pattern of function before finishing your self care session.
Stretch Band
Stretch bands can be a great tool for improving joint mobility and reducing pain. One of the ways that stretch bands can be used is to apply traction to joints. Traction involves pulling a joint apart to create space between the bones. This can help reduce pressure on the joint and improve mobility by stimulating the production of hyaline cartilage (a self-made lubricant) that prevents unwanted friction (and thereby inflammation and chronic microtrauma) and improves function. By using a stretch band to apply traction to the joint, you can help improve range of motion and reduce pain. This can be particularly beneficial for people who suffer from conditions like arthritis or joint stiffness. Additionally, regular use of stretch bands can help improve overall flexibility and prevent future injuries. It's hard to injure yourself with a stretch band, because even if you're applying an intense stretch to a muscle that could possibly cause damage, other muscles of that muscle group also hold tension and thus will likely assist in preventing any possible self-sustained injury that could (however unlikely) occur due to improper method of tractioning the muscle.
Electric Massage Gun
Electric massagers are great massage therapy tools that can help you reduce delayed onset muscle soreness by providing fast relief and a lot of blood flow. They're easy to use and can provide a deep self massage. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes, so do your research to purchase the one that's right for your routine. I personally do not use my massage fun very much, even though I have one, because with my limited time, I find the benefits of sustained trigger point release, and overall tractioning of my joints to create a better overall sense of relief and benefits that suit my specific body's needs, than the use of a massage gun (and they can be expensive.) But don't let this deter you from buying a massage gun if you think it'll be helpful.
Overall, there are a number of massage therapy tools that can help you get even more out of your massage therapy sessions. Whether you choose a foam roller, massage ball, stretch band, or electric massager, you're sure to feel the benefits. So if you're looking to reduce stress, improve circulation, improve pain regulation, and ease muscle tension, be sure to try out some of these massage therapy tools, or ask one of our Strive Holistic practitioners to create a self care protocol that will be effective and simple for you!
We're located out of Evolve Strength Downtown in the downtown Edmonton area, just off of the 124th street district, and we're eager to help empower you with the therapeutic services and advice your body is craving. Book a treatment with any member of our team today for an amazing and thorough deep tissue therapeutic massage experience!
