Using self-myofascial release with yoga therapy ball provides comprehensive integrative strategies to restore optimal performance. This method of self-care offers ways to improve the health of fascial and myofascial connective tissues and all the soft structures of your interconnected body. Self-care practices revitalize the body and keeps you healthy and playing at peak performance.
Intentionally entering states of relaxation is critical to regulate the parasympathetic nervous systems. The relaxation response induces clearer thinking, boosts immunity, and improves emotional resiliency. Here are five more reasons to incorporate self-myofascial release into your training program:
1) Relieves aches and pains. Muscle aches and pains can be often attributed to overuse, underuse, or misuse of a particular area of the body.
2) Enhances breathing function. Shortness of breath can frequently be attributed to a lack of strength and flexibility in the respiratory diaphragm, intercostals, and neighboring muscles of respiration. Breath muscles can become rigid due to lack of use, carrying excess weight, or protecting an injury. These locked up muscles reduce ability of diaphragm and ribcage to move well during “regular” breathing.
3) Increases mobility and energy levels. The yoga therapy balls compress and elongate dormant and tired tissues and introduce circulation back into your body. Improving circulation helps promote cell growth and organ function. When your heart pumps at full force, your heart rate lowers, heart muscles relax and your blood pressure flows evenly and smoothly.
4) Reduces stress. A chronically stressed body is stuck in fight-or-flight response. Long-term exposure to high levels of cortisol (stress hormone) creates inflammation, impedes circulation, and reduces muscle function by stiffening muscles. Stress taxes heart and breath and can even affect sight and hearing. A muscle stays contracted because the nervous system is telling it to do so. The pressure of the balls offers a micro-stretch to the tissues; this helps to recalibrate the muscle’s resting length by switching off nerves that were maintaining unnecessary tension in that muscle.
5) Improves posture and performance. Posture issues are often caused by poor habits such as slouching, leaning, or lack of awareness. Surgery leaves scar tissue, which almost always leads to compensation patterns in the way the body moves. Using therapy balls helps restore tissues by loosening muscles and connective tissues.
For healthy growth and healing of tissues, you need to take time to create an internal environment that optimizes adaptation. If your muscles and their associated connective tissues are not given adequate time to rest, they are more vulnerable to tears, other injuries, and loss of force production.
Play hard = Rest hard.