If you are suffering from back pain or a lack of flexibility, then this week’s Body Hack may be the one for you. Did you know that simply massaging under your feet can help reduce lower back discomfort and can increase flexibility? Continue reading to see how to do this simple body hack.
This Body Hack is really easy. Simply use a ball, like a hard tennis ball, hockey ball, golf ball or lacrosse ball and massage the underside of your feet. Work on the whole foot, from the heel, right to the toes. You can do it sitting or standing. Doing this for as little as 2 minutes on each side can increase your flexibility and even reduce some lower back discomfort.
You can read an older blog post on the mechanism of why this works (along with some research) here, but simply, it is to do with a muscle chain that run through the back of your body from the head to the toes.
I encourage you to try this simple test. Sit on the floor with your legs straight and reach forward as far as you can and see where you get to. Now massage under the feet with a ball of your choice for at least 2 minutes (I would try 5 minutes) and then repeat the test and see if you can get any further.
Hopefully, your flexibility will improve and the tension in your low back will ease. As an added bonus it will also help your feet (most people’s feet could do with a little TLC occasionally). As usual, your body will thank you for it.
If you have any questions, please feel to contact us. I will do my best to answer them. Also feel free to share these Body Hack's if you find them useful.
You can read an older blog post on the mechanism of why this works (along with some research) here, but simply, it is to do with a muscle chain that run through the back of your body from the head to the toes.
I encourage you to try this simple test. Sit on the floor with your legs straight and reach forward as far as you can and see where you get to. Now massage under the feet with a ball of your choice for at least 2 minutes (I would try 5 minutes) and then repeat the test and see if you can get any further.
Hopefully, your flexibility will improve and the tension in your low back will ease. As an added bonus it will also help your feet (most people’s feet could do with a little TLC occasionally). As usual, your body will thank you for it.
If you have any questions, please feel to contact us. I will do my best to answer them. Also feel free to share these Body Hack's if you find them useful.
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