Tennis ball massage

[sami4]

Isnt it ridiculous the things we try in the name of relief? I read in a massage book that sitting on a tennis ball and wallowing around sometimes helps with PF as it massages the perineum area. Soooo, I bought a box of tennis balls, sat on the floor put one under my vaginal area, then decided if one was good two would be better and started to gyrate around to see if helped or hurt. Just at that minute I heard my husbands voice in back of me say,"My God, if your that horney why didnt you call me?"
I tried to explain that I had read it in a book and was trying it out. He just raised an eyebrow, got a pop out of the fridge and went back to watching NASCAR.
I think it did help a little though. Will try again when he goes to work.
Sammi

[GriffsMommy]

Sami this is too funny. I hope it helps but all I can picture is your hubby coming in and seeing this, my hubby would have said the exact same thing! lol

[CarolinTexas]

Tennis balls do help!

Tennis balls do help! I do trigger point all over my body with them. They help us help ourselves without having to pay a therapist.

Here's a link to massage today that talks about a tennis ball trick I'd never heard of - perhaps it's the one you were doing when your husband caught you!

http://www.massagetoday.com/mpacms/mt/article.php?id=13515

[July]

My PT recommended taking a tennis ball and pressing it against sore spots in the hip/buttocks as I leaned against a door or wall. She said a lot of women with PFD have those trigger pain points in the hips/buttocks.

[CarolinTexas]

Hey July, how do you do that? I have to be flat on my back with tennis balls under me. If I do it against the wall, the ball keeps moving or shoots out!

[July]

I take one tennis ball and place it at the top of my side hip/buttock on one side. (Make sure it is against the fleshy part and not the bone of your hip.) I lean against it against a wall or door, and put my weight against it, which holds it in place from rolling away.Leaning against that spot can be rather sore and painful (which my PT says is a sign of PFD), however I stay on that spot until the pain/soreness lessens or for about 30-60 seconds. (My PT said that the soreness should lesson as steady pressure is applied and the tight muscle relaxes). I move just a little bit so that the ball massages the spot a bit.Then I take my hand and place the tennis ball on a spot a little lower down, and repeat. I keep doing this until I get to the bottom of my side hip/buttock, and then do it all over again on the other side.

My PT puts pressure on these spots with her elbow at the office, and recommended using the tennis ball at home for a similar effect.

I hope I explained this clearly! Let me know if you have a question.

[kadi]

The big foam rollers work as well.

Thanks for the laugh Sami!

[Vicki]

Sammi- You are a hoot. I have to admit, I did the same darn thing. We are a desperate lot! I decided that it would be a good thing to do every morning while I put my makeup on. It definitely has not hurt, maybe even helped. Do you sit Indian style or with your legs in front of you?
Anyhow, thanks for the laugh. I wish someday that there was a big IC convention where we could attend so we could meet. We could all have a slumber party and sit around on our tennis balls and swap IC stories!!!!!!!!!!!!I feel like the past few years this was the only place I could be honest about all the pain I have been in. There are alot of great women on here that I am thankful to have connected with. Thanks for the laugh. -Vicki

Isnt it ridiculous the things we try in the name of relief? I read in a massage book that sitting on a tennis ball and wallowing around sometimes helps with PF as it massages the perineum area. Soooo, I bought a box of tennis balls, sat on the floor put one under my vaginal area, then decided if one was good two would be better and started to gyrate around to see if helped or hurt. Just at that minute I heard my husbands voice in back of me say,"My God, if your that horney why didnt you call me?"
I tried to explain that I had read it in a book and was trying it out. He just raised an eyebrow, got a pop out of the fridge and went back to watching NASCAR.
I think it did help a little though. Will try again when he goes to work.
Sammi

[SharonA]

Sammi...That is just too funny.

Vicki...How on Earth do you do that and apply makeup at the same time? You must be one very coordinated person.

[sami4]

Carolyn

Thanks for the great link. I knew I was on to something (no pun intended).
Sammi

[Annie2]

My PT suggested I try something very similar. There is a small book called The Miracle Ball Method by Elaine Petrone she recommended to me. It comes in a clear plastic container with two balls that are about the size of softballs and is available online and at many regular bookstores. The author suffered a major injury and pain, could find no relief and came to the same conclusion many of you have.......that rolling around on these balls works like trigger point release and helps to stretch and therefore relax spasming muscles. I started using them about 2 weeks ago and it really does seem to be helping, especially in the lower buttocks / upper thigh region where I have lots of trigger points! Yeah, it really looks strange rolling around on them , but.......whatever works is worth it!

[CarolinTexas]

Trigger point/Positive Pressure/Acupressure

Isn't it funny how this method has so many different names and tools?

There was one thing I ordered (it was mentioned in Claire Davies trigger point book) called a Trigger Point Hook, or a massage hook, something like that.

It looks like a giant hard cane with all sorts of funny knobs. It took forever to figure out how to use it (should have ordered the instructional dvd), but it is nice when you need to apply pressure but can't get the traction to do so. I used to roll around on balls also trying to get my upper thigh trigger points! Now I use this hook for those suckers. It also makes it easy to stretch the muscle by gently pulling it onces the trigger point is deactivated. I use it along with tennis balls and even croquet balls sometimes.

Does anyone else use this hook or find it helpful?

[sami4]

Still rollin around

Still rollin around on my tennis balls every evening, and ran one up my back while laying on the floor (boy did my back crack). I really think they are helping me alot with PFD symptoms.
Going to look into Miracle Ball Method book the poster suggested.
Sammi

[CarolinTexas]

Professional Trigger/Pressure Point Treatment to Learn

Just a note to people who have tried this method without success (like me in the past).

If you don't have luck with it at first, find a great massage therapist who specializes in trigger point. Make sure they have tons of experience. You can learn a lot about methods and self-treatment in even one session. My session cost $75. The therapist can easily find all the points that we may not think of or know about. That referred pain stuff can be tricky as there are so many points that cause pain in other parts of the body. Read a TP book as well.

For example, one time I got really lucky and deactivated one in the area of my right ovary (I think it was on my front hipbone). All of a sudden the muscles inside just uncoiled and part of my lower middle back was magically released from pain. It scared me to death at first but the pain relief almost made me cry! Most of my TP deactivations are very mild.

Anyway, if you've tried it and it didn't help, don't give up on this method. Give it another shot with the help of a professional.

Good luck everybody!