Tennis Ball Massage for Fibromyalgia Pain

Fibro Tip

Mar 2, 2009 Tami Brady

The tennis ball massage is a great way to relieve localized Fibromyalgia related muscle pain.

Due to its debilitating nature, pain management is often the highest priority for Fibromyalgia sufferers. It is important to note that pain associated with Fibromyalgia can be generalized as in body aches or localized pain often found associated with particular sets of muscles. This article will focus specifically on the later, localized type of pain.

The actual locations of Fibromyalgia related muscular pain varies from individual to individual. The most common complaints are back and shoulder pain. However, headaches are also quite common. Pain in the extremities tends to be most commonly found in the joints rather than the musculature. Moreover, discomfort is usually caused by joint swelling. This often acerbates muscle function leading to muscle weakness and mobility issues.

Massage for Fibromyalgia

Many Fibromyalgia sufferers find massage very soothing for muscular pain. This is especially true in the areas of the neck, shoulders, and back. It is in these areas that people naturally accumulate stress.

When in chronic pain, individuals automatically hold themselves differently. Their posture is much more rigid. Their movements become more forced. Often, the neck, shoulders, and back gets the brunt of this unnatural stance causing even more stress in these problem areas.

An Inexpensive Massage for Fibromyalgia Sufferers

Regular massages are extremely useful tools for Fibromyalgia pain management. The problem is that often such treatment is not readily available or the costs are simply beyond the reach of the average person`s budget. In these cases, the tennis ball massage is an inexpensive and somewhat useful alternative.

The tennis ball massage is easy to do. Simply take a tennis ball and rub it back and forth around the area of the painful muscle. If the pain is on the surface, gently rub the ball over that location. If the pain is deeper, use a bit of pressure.

It is important to never push hard enough to cause damage. If the amount of pressure exerted causes more pain or sharp pain, then immediately reduce the pressure. This localized massage is meant to help not cause more pain. In this way, if it causes more discomfort, stop using this method immediately.

Tennis Ball Massage for the Back

The tennis ball massage works very well for muscle groups that are easy to reach. Places like the back can be a bit tricky, especially for self-massage. The best solution for these problem areas is finding a support like a wall or the floor. Then, the tennis ball can be placed between the wall or floor and the body part. Automatically, any body movement also moves the ball and the amount of pressure can be easily modified as desired.

Massage is wonderful for relief of localized muscle pain associated with Fibromyalgia. However, often having regular treatment is not a viable option. The tennis ball massage can be an inexpensive alternative.

The copyright of the article Tennis Ball Massage for Fibromyalgia Pain in Women’s Health is owned by Tami Brady. Permission to republish Tennis Ball Massage for Fibromyalgia Pain in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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Comments

Jul 25, 2009 7:44 AM
Guest :
There are some wonderful massage balls available from shiatsumd. They have an inexpensive variety pack of differenet sizes and densities. soft and firm tennis ball size, and softball sized balls of washaable closed cell foam. they also sell a fibromyalgia massage bag and roller.
Sep 15, 2009 12:20 PM
Tami Brady :
Shiatsu MD provides a range of products that are perfect for massaging Fibromyalgia trigger points. I recommend the high density myo-balls for relief of back, neck, and headache pain associated with Fibromyalgia. There are a number of different sizes and firmnesses to relax the pain points without causing irritation. I also liked the adjustable rollers for reducing shoulder and neck tension.
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