These are some of the tools we use in the clinic, on ourselves, and on our loved ones in alleviating physical tension and pain.
The items are presented in the following order: tools that are designed to warm up broad areas (eg. the entire trapezius muscle, which spans the upper and mid back), progressing to tools used for doing deeper, more targeted and precise work (eg. the finer muscles of the neck).
Back roller: excellent for warming up the entire upper and mid back, particularly for those with tension in the trapezius muscle. This item provides strong pressure - if you find yourself clenching your muscles against it, it’s probably too strong and you could benefit from laying a towel over the bumps to begin with.
Textured massage ball: great for warming up the pecs, front of shoulders, and even the back. This tool is soft enough to use on really tight and sensitive areas (hello serratous anterior - if you have any neck/shoulder issues, you’ll likely have issues here as well), while also being firm enough to provide release and relief. The finger-like projections are key, as they help “tease apart” the knots and trigger points.
Flat-based lacrosse balls: comes in a set of two, which is nice for use on the back. Also fantastic to use one at a time on areas like hamstrings, calves (on the floor) and on the upper back (rhomboids and upper traps); also great for use around the pelvic girdle in the external rotators for anyone that has tight hips.
Deep tissue acupressure tool: we’re endlessly surprised at how affordable this tool is for being so useful and effective. I like to use this at the base of the skull, along the neck, and on the uppermost corner of the pec major, right where the collarbone and the front of the shoulder come together - where the pec can get super tight and cause a lot of unpleasant sensations up the neck and down the back.
Heskiers OneTool: this item is designed to be used in various ways, which is really nice, because changing your hand grip can help reduce stress and tension while doing this kind of work. The ends are excellent for use in very tense areas, especially when one is seeking targeted deep tissue work. This item provides very strong pressure.
Fascia and trigger point tool: this tool is marketed for beauty purposes, but also happens to be really great for pain relief. The “sprinkler” ends are wonderful for deep fascia restructuring work or just muscular tension relieving purposes (be sure to use an emollient product to protect the skin), and the pointed ends are extremely effective at delivering precise pressure at very specific points. This item provides very strong pressure and should be used with care (this goes for all of the tools, but particular this one and the prior item, Heskiers OneTool).
This page will likely be a work in progress. We’re always on the look out for different tools to work with, and as we discover ones that we find valuable, we’ll add them to this page.
As always, feel free to reach out with questions. We’re happy to help!