The Humble Tennis Ball, and Headache

I have a tennis ball and a racquetball in a drawer in my bedroom. Why? Because they’re handy, inexpensive self-massage tools.

I was recently looking at an article on massage, and saw this quote:

My orthopedic surgeon didn’t know about using tennis balls for massage! He asked what helped my back pain, and I told him I always lie on a tennis ball. He looked at me like he was going to refer me to a psychiatrist! How can an orthopedic surgeon not know about the tennis ball thing? Doesn’t everyone know about the tennis ball thing?

a massage therapy client

Well, yes, exactly! There are some great massages that you can do with a tennis ball, and you can get a pack of three for under $10. A raquetball is a little smaller and harder (and even cheaper). A lot of people also recommend lacrosse balls, which are almost as big (sometimes as big) as a tennis ball, but they have a nice rubbery texture, perfect for massage (and they come in lots of fun colours). (I have to support lacrosse – it’s the official summer game of Canada, did you know that?)

And, of course, there are balls made especially for massage such as the TriggerPoint Foam Massage Ball for Deep-Tissue Massage, which has gazillions of high ratings. You can choose the size and firmness of these, which is handy. But again, if you already have a tennis ball around the house, try that first and see how it works for you. Save your money and give it to the Migraine Research Foundation instead.

Massage is a very personal thing, so I won’t share the “ultimate headache massage” here, although we would love to hear your comments about what has worked for you. And massage for headache isn’t just head massage – and not just shoulders. Even a foot massage (grab the racquetball for this one) can help with headache.

But here are some places to start. First a recent Instagram video, with an accompanying article. This one is from a kinesiologist. If You Have Tension Headaches, Try This Kinesiology Expert’s Simple Trick With a Ball

Next, you’ll want to explore more of this website than just this one article, but start here: Tennis Ball Massage for Myofascial Trigger Points

Ok, here’s one more from the same site: Basic Self-Massage Tips for Myofascial Trigger Points

Now I’ll let you go, because you’re going to want to check all that out, and hunt down the tennis ball from the garage. Hmmm… might want to wash it first…