LIFE+ Blog

Why lacrosse balls?

Although there are many tools that are great for some pain relief and/or increasing blood flow in preparation for exercise, lacrosse balls tend to be more portable, more affordable, and work well for harder to reach places.

Most of us love a good massage. But going to get one isn’t always feasible, or affordable. This is where a lax (lacrosse) ball comes in handy. You can get one for a few bucks at your local sports supply store, find one in your kid’s room, or purchase one from the CBPT store!

You can use a lacrosse ball to relieve soft tissue pain in multiple ways:

• Roll the ball on your sore spot with your hand – this may be best if you are quite tender and do not want a lot of pressure

• Roll against the wall – usually provides more pressure than using your hand. You can roll in circles or, if you can tolerate it, make continuous contact on your sore spot

• Roll on the floor – usually provides the greatest pressure. Again, roll in circles or with continuous pressure

Generally, you are looking for 30 seconds to a couple minutes of massage on your “hot spot.” Like a deep tissue massage, you may experience some discomfort during, and maybe some soreness after, but it shouldn’t be lasting. The idea is pain relief!

Variations to a lacrosse ball:

• Tennis ball: A little softer, maybe even more accessible
• Frozen lax ball: Throw it in a bag in the freezer for some cold + soft tissue relief
• Pillow case/sock: Put the ball in one of these to help you reach those hard to reach places (ie: Behind your back while rolling against the wall)
• Dog toy: Yes, a spiky dog toy may provide some extra relief!

For more lacrosse ball exercise ideas, click here!

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