To use a tennis ball for sore muscle relief, to relieve your sore back, calf muscles, feet, hands, shoulders, and thighs takes just a few minutes a day.

Thanks to the power of myofascial release, a tennis ball is your new best friend when your lower back starts to ache or when you feel some tension and discomfort in your feet.

Just as a massage helps work out the stiffness and knots in your muscles, you can do the same with a simple tennis ball. The great thing about using a tennis ball to relieve your muscle and joint tightness and discomfort is that it costs nothing, and you can treat yourself whenever you need it.

What is Myofascial Release?

Myofascial release is a type of massage and physical therapy that works to relieve tightness and discomfort in your myofascial tissues. Myofascial tissues are the tissues that support and surround your muscles.

These myofascial tissues are the tissues that get tight, cramp, ache, or feel stiff. Myofascial release applies pressure to the trigger points in your myofascial tissue, gently allowing your muscles, tendons, and ligaments to relax, releasing tension and tightness.

Often, myofascial release is done by your massage or physical therapist. Your physical therapist may place his thumb on a spot on your thigh, for example, and ask you to breathe in deeply and then bend your leg or move your leg gently.

The process of applying pressure and gently moving, activates the trigger point, allowing the tissues to relax.

Anyone who is experiencing tightness and stiffness can benefit from myofascial release. However, this kind of treatment can be expensive and hard to fit into an already busy schedule.

This is why using a tennis ball for myofascial release is an ideal option. In fact, even if you’re not feeling any muscle tightness or stiffness – you can benefit from a quick daily tennis ball massage routine.

How to Use a Tennis Ball to Relieve Your Sore Muscles

To use a tennis ball to relieve your sore muscles and perform a myofascial release, do the following:

1. Start slowly.
2. Listen to the signals your body is giving you.
3. Don’t push too deeply.
4. Remember that deeper is not necessarily better.
5. Establish a regular routine, using the tennis ball in the morning or evening.

Read on for specific step-by-step instructions on how to use a tennis ball for myofascial release in your back, feet, shoulders, calf muscles, and thighs.

Remember that it’s easy to go too deep with the tennis ball – start slowly and apply only gentle pressure. If you do have questions about myofascial release with a tennis ball, talk to your massage or physical therapist.

How to Use a Tennis Ball for Back Relief

To use a tennis ball for upper back relief, do the following:

1. Place 2 tennis balls on either side of your spine where you feel the tension.
2. Gently lie down on the 2 tennis balls.
3. Slowly move your upper back so that the tennis balls gently massage your upper back.
4. Do this for up to a minute. Remember to breathe, deep breathing helps to encourage the release.

To use a tennis ball for lower back relief, do the following:

1. Place 2 tennis balls side-by-side between your buttocks and ribs.
2. Gently lie down on the 2 tennis balls.
3. Bend your knees and keep your feet flat on the floor.
4. You can optionally move your hips from side-to-side to enhance the myofascial release.
5. Do this for up to a minute. Remember to breathe, deep breathing helps to encourage the release.

How to Use a Tennis Ball for Aching Feet

To use a tennis ball for aching feet, do the following:

1. Start barefoot.
2. Take 1 tennis ball and place it on the floor.
3. Gently place the arch of your foot on the tennis ball and roll the tennis ball along the length of your foot.
4. Do not place all of your weight on the tennis ball. You do not want to stand on the tennis ball.
5. Do this for up to a minute on each foot. Remember to breathe, deep breathing helps to encourage the release.

How to Use a Tennis Ball to Relieve Tight Shoulders

To use a tennis ball to relieve tight shoulders, do the following:

1. Place 1 tennis ball on the floor.
2. Gently lie down on the tennis ball so that the tennis ball is behind your shoulder blade.
3. Gently move your shoulder and arm – moving it along the floor and lifting it up in the air in a waving motion.
4. Do this for up to 3 minutes for each shoulder. Remember to breathe, deep breathing helps to encourage the release.

How to Use a Tennis Ball to Loosen Tight Calf Muscles

To use a tennis ball to loosen tight calf muscles, do the following:

1. Sit down on a carpeted floor or on a yoga mat.
2. Stretch your legs out in front of you.
3. Bend one leg placing your foot flat on the floor.
4. Place 1 tennis ball beneath your calf muscle on the leg that is extended. The tennis ball should be at the top of your calf muscle, close to but not underneath your knee.
5. Place both hands on the floor and use them to gently raise your buttocks off the floor.
6. Gently move your extended leg so the tennis ball moves up and down your calf muscle.
7. Do this for up to a minute on each leg. Remember to breathe, deep breathing helps to encourage the release.

How to Use a Tennis Ball to Loosen Tight Thighs

To use a tennis ball to loosen tight thighs, do the following:

1. Place 1 tennis ball on the floor.
2. Lie down on the tennis ball so that the tennis ball is underneath your thigh.
3. Gently move your leg so the tennis ball moves along your thigh.
4. Do this for up to a minute on each thigh. Remember to breathe, deep breathing helps to encourage the release.

Using a Tennis Ball to Relieve Muscle Soreness

Everyone experiences muscle soreness and tightness. Maybe you’ve started a new exercise routine and are experiencing DOMS in your legs or you’ve been injured and are slowly returning to regular exercise.

Regardless of the source of the muscle and joint tightness and discomfort, know that you can relieve this tension naturally and safely. Remember that when you use a tennis ball to relieve your muscle and joint soreness, it’s important that you start slowly and gently.

Along with using a tennis ball for myofascial release, we encourage you to learn more about inflammation in the body and how it contributes to stiff and sore joints.

You wake up in the morning and your knees are creaky and sore. You have noticed swelling and redness around your wrists and knees. You feel like your knees and fingers don’t move as easily as they once did. These are all examples of sensations and body signals that can indicate you’re dealing with stiff joints. Stiff joints can happen simply as a result of aging or can be an indicator of a more serious conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus. As you know, we’re committed to improving your joint health and as part of this company mission and goal, we want you to have all the information you need to be informed about your joint health. Keep reading to learn more about why stiff joints happen, how you can treat your stiff joints, and some lifestyle changes that can help you ease joint stiffness. We always want to hear from you, so please visit the SierraSil Facebook community page and tell us about your experiences with stiff joints. Tell us how you live a full life while managing your joint stiffness.

Why Do Stiff Joints Happen?

Stiff joints can happen for a number of reasons and factors, including:

• Your age: as you age, the cartilage which protects the ends of your bones starts to wear out. Cartilage is spongy material that provides joint cushioning and as you age it starts to dry out and deteriorate. As well, with age, your body makes less synovial fluid. This fluid is a lubricant that helps you your joints move easily.
• Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): Rheumatoid Arthritis or RA is an autoimmune disease. With RA, your immune system attacks your joints causing inflammation and damage to your joint tissue. Many people with RA have chronic pain, slightly deformed or immobile joints, and balance issues. RA typically impacts your hands, wrists, and knees.
• Osteoarthritis: according to the Centers of Disease Control, over 30 million American adults are living with osteoarthritis. This type of arthritis is the most common and often impacts the hands, hips, and knees. Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage protecting your bones is completely worn down and you get bone-on-bone friction. This type of arthritis develops over time with common signs being swollen joints, stiffness, and a reduced range of motion.
• Lupus: this autoimmune disease causes inflammation and swelling through-out your body including your joints, kidneys, skin, blood cells, heart, brain, and lungs. Lupus can be hard to diagnose and can include symptoms such as joint stiffness and swelling, fatigue, headaches, fever, chest pain, fever, photosensitivity, dry eyes, a butterfly-shaped rash on your face, and shortness of breath.
• Fibromyalgia: this type of arthritis causes all-over body pain, sleep problems, fatigue, and emotional stress. Often people with fibromyalgia have a higher response to pain than most people. People with lupus or RA are more likely to develop fibromyalgia.
• Joint injury: you likely know a runner or other active person who has suffered from bursitis in their knee or tendinitis in their elbow. These joint injuries often result from overuse or from having muscle imbalances that place undue stress on the joints.
• Lack of movement: in the morning you might find it hard to walk down the stairs, to get out of bed, or to bend over and put on your socks. This kind of joint stiffness happens after you’ve been asleep or even have been sitting still for a long period of time. You likely feel better after you’ve been moving around for a few minutes – this is why stretching feels so good.

It’s important that you do not ignore your joint stiffness and discomfort. If you’re experiencing persistent and sore joints, do seek medical attention. The sooner you can get a diagnosis for your stiff joints, you can get on the path to joint health.

How Can I Treat My Stiff Joints?

The treatment for stiff joints really depends on why your joints are stiff. This might sound like an ambiguous answer, but it’s important that you’re treating the underlying cause of the joint stiffness. For example, people diagnosed with RA may need to take advanced level biologic medications to treat this autoimmune disease. Someone living with osteoarthritis might find relief with muscle-strengthening non-impact exercises such as swimming and by taking a natural joint supplement such as SierraSil Joint Formula 14. Because swelling and inflammation are common with most joint stiffness, it is important that you take measures to reduce these factors. This can be done with lifestyle changes that include more exercise, diet changes, and attention to your joint health. Before undertaking any treatment for your stiff joints, you must see your doctor or other health practitioner. Do not self-diagnose and choose a course of treatment based on your interpretation of your symptoms.

How Can My Lifestyle Impact My Joint Health?

Think of that person you know who is in her 80’s and looks like she’s in her 60’s. This lady is active and involved in her community. You see her out gardening, walking, and being active. This lady really seems to never complain about stiff joints or about feeling old. You might want to chalk this up to good genetics and while genes do have a lot to do with joint health, there are many factors you can also control.

• Exercise: by keeping your body moving, you’re able to build strength, flexibility, and prevent stiffness. You don’t need to take up marathon training or some other vigorous type of exercise, but daily movement is critical. Getting out for a morning and evening walk, swimming or aquafit, sports such as kayaking, bicycling, canoeing, working out in the gym and lifting weights, or exercise such as yoga, Pilates, and regular stretching – can help ease joint stiffness. It’s important that you reduce the load on your joints by building and strengthening the supporting muscles, ligaments, and tendons.
• Diet: you are what you eat, and when it comes to joint health and easing joint stiffness, it’s important you pay attention to food. Certain foods and ingredients such as curcumin, fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, olive oil, cherries, broccoli, citrus such as oranges, whole wheat grains, nuts, and garlic have all been shown to have properties that can reduce inflammation. As well, these key foods are part of a healthy and balanced diet that helps contribute to your overall bone health, muscle strength, and general wellness.
• Supplements: a quick Google search on supplements for joint health reveals a long list of supplements that can help support joint health and ease stiffness. It’s important that you only take supplements that have been thoroughly researched, studied, and have deep unbiased clinical support. We urge you to thoroughly research any supplements before you take them. We also want to remind you of the benefits of taking SierraSil. SierraSil has been proven to safely and effectively promote joint health and function. Read the FAQ section on our website and learn how our natural joint relief products can help give you the joint health support you’re looking for.

Along with these key fundamentals to maintaining healthy joints, your life attitude can make a big difference. This can be hard to define, but we want to urge you to try your best to be positive and have a long-term outlook. Know that what you do today will help you live a better, longer, and healthier life. We know that people with a positive optimistic outlook are happier, more involved in their communities, and can live longer healthier lives. Remember that lady in her 80’s who has limitless energy and is always out-and-about? We want you to be like her. Enjoying the best of life and happily sharing this with others. Taking care of your joint health includes not only good physical habits but good mental habits as well. As always, we want to hear from you. Let us know about how you maintain good joint health on our SierraSil Facebook community page and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

To have an active summer, all you need to do is to just do it. Yes, that’s right, find that sport, hobby, or activity that you enjoy and get out and do it. You don’t need to run 10 miles every day or play in a tennis tournament every weekend to be considered active. Being active is all about moving your body in a way that supports healthy joint mobility and allows you to develop strength and fitness. For each of us, this means something entirely different. How, when, and why you’re active is tied directly to how you’re feeling physically and emotionally. To help you have an active summer, we’ve put together our best tips and advice on how you can incorporate activity into your day-to-day. Too many of us mistakenly believe that being active means a rigorous training program or huffing and puffing around the block – it’s time to put an end to these myths. Follow our tips on how to have an active summer and you’ll wonder why you didn’t start sooner. Move Every Single Day So often when we think of exercise and activity we think of sports like running, swimming, hiking, bodybuilding, or kayaking. This thought process creates inherent and automatic barriers to being active. It’s easy to think “Oh, I couldn’t join a gym” or “But I’m so out-of-shape” or “My joints are so stiff”. The good news is that simple regular every day movement is considered to be exercise and activity.

• Carrying the laundry outside and hanging it on the clothesline. You have to pick-up the laundry basket, carry it outside, put it down, pick up each item and hang it on the line and later you have to repeat the process in reverse. That’s a lot of bending, lifting, and standing – in other words, activity and exercise.
• Doing the housework. Think of all the bending, lifting, pushing, scrubbing, and elbow grease that goes into keeping your house clean. Washing the floors, vacuuming the carpet, moving furniture, wiping counters, etc. – this all adds up to a lot of movement.
• Running errands. It might seem trivial, but all of the movement you do while running errands adds up. We’re guessing you have to walk around a few stores, walk to the mailbox, carry shopping bags and purchased items, etc. – again all ways you’re using your muscles and joints.

And when you add in a morning and evening walk with the dog, a trip to the park with your grandkids, a tennis game, or a yoga class – now you’re really moving and being active. Don’t ignore the small movements you do through-out the day, they count as exercise and activity. We know that for those of you suffering from severe joint discomfort or other conditions, you might not be able to get out and do the extra activities. So don’t discount what you can and are doing. If you feel healthy enough, you can look for extra ways to increase this daily movement by parking the car a bit further from the store or by adding in a short 10-minute walk or doing some seated yoga. Follow Your Passions Think of that last great book you read and how you couldn’t put it down. Every spare moment was spent reading that book. We want you to find an activity that sparks the same passion and excitement inside you. You likely have friends who are passionate about an activity or sport such as tennis, gardening, golf, quilting, swimming, pottery, painting, or walking. It’s this passion that helps them structure their days and gives them something to look forward to. These friends are often out-and-about and always on the go, all the while they’re smiling and brimming with excitement and energy. You can have this as well – think of that hobby or activity you enjoy and determine how to incorporate it into your daily life. All of a sudden your days will get much more active and busy. You’ve got the regular house stuff to contend with along with going to the bookstore to pick up the next book for book club or getting to the pottery studio on time or meeting up with your friends for an evening walk and chat. When you find and follow your passions, you don’t even notice the extra movement, exercise, and activity you’re doing. However, your joints, muscles, bones, immune system, and mental well-being all notice and reap the rewards of this extra activity. Get an Activity Buddy or Join a Group We all have the best of intentions to get up an hour early for a walk or to get out in your kayak more or to eat more green vegetables. The thing is, we are all only human and often it’s hard to incorporate change (even change we want to do) into our daily lives. It’s for this reason and from our own personal experience, that we urge you to find an activity buddy or to join a group that enables you to follow-through on your new intentions. Call up a friend and arrange to meet twice a week in the morning for a walk, a chat, and a cup of coffee. Join your local kayaking club where you’ll meet new people, learn how to kayak safely, and discover new waterways. Invite friends over once-a-week for a “new recipe night”, where you all cook and sample new-to-you recipes. It’s always easy to start and stick to something new when you’ve got a friend or a group of friends who are doing the same thing. You’ll take inspiration from them and you’ll do the same for them. When it’s raining or you’re tired or you simply don’t feel like it – your friends will be waiting for you, and we all know it’s much harder to disappoint our friends than it is ourselves. How Are You Having An Active Summer? The one key take-away we want you to get from this article is that – yes – you can be active. Anyone, regardless of age, health, and environment can move their body and feel good about doing it. Tell us how you’re having an active summer. Visit our SierraSil Community Facebook page and tell us what you did today to be active. Remember to tag us on Instagram and Twitter with #sierrasilsummer and tell us how you’re embracing an active summer. Your post could be just the inspiration someone in the SierraSil community needs to try a new activity or join a new group.