HA-501: Spiky Ball Massage Roller

The Spiky Ball Massage Roller has three free-spinning studded balls that press into the muscle tissue as you roll it along your arms, legs, shoulders, back, or anywhere you want to use it. The balls are made of hard plastic (PVC), and the studs are rounded at the tip to avoid breaking the skin. As the massager is rolled along the muscle, the studs will extend further into the tissue, providing pressure more deeply than a flat roller with the same amount of force applied.

There are soft foam handles on both ends of the roller for an easy and comfortable grip. The balls and handles cover a strong metal bar that supports light or heavy use, depending on your needs. There are rounded plastic covers on the tips of the bar for safety and security.

When muscles are sore or strained, apply Super Blue Stuff OTC, Super White Stuff OTC, and/or other Blue Stuff, BLUESPRING or Emu Therapy brand pain relief products to the area. Allow a few minutes for the product to be absorbed, then roll the Spiky Ball Massage Roller along the muscles treated. Test with only light pressure applied, then increase the force exerted based on your preference. Bony areas without bulky muscle tissue such as shins, joints, hands and feet may be more sensitive to the studded balls. Adjust the pressure used for your desired comfort level. If needed, apply more natural pain relief products after using the roller, as well.

For most areas of the body, you can use both hands to press/pull the massage roller into the muscle and move it evenly along the area. Speed of movement is less important than making sure that the muscle is fully massaged by the spiky balls rolling over the skin. Tilt or adjust the roller to impact all of the muscles/areas needed from the appropriate angles. For arms, hold one handle and press the massager into the muscles of the opposite arm. Consider asking a family member or friend to help you with areas that are difficult to reach or massage effectively. You can lay the massager on the ground and rest your foot, leg, or arm on it, rolling back and forth and using your body weight to apply more pressure than you may be able to do with your hands and arms. If you do this, be cautious to avoid using so much force that it causes pain and do not apply your full weight to the handles as it might bend the inner bar when pushed against the floor, which will not give under pressure. For the back, you can place the massage roller against the back of a chair and lean against it, controlling the amount of pressure to meet your needs. 

It is important to relax the muscles you are impacting with the massage roller. Flexed muscles will not receive the full benefit of the Spiky Ball Massage Roller, or any massage. This is different from tense muscles, which may be in that state because of overuse, stress, or injury; flexed muscles are being actively tightened by the nervous system. If using the roller is causing pain or anxiety, reduce the pressure applied so that you feel relaxed and can get the full benefit of this tool.

If you find an area of your muscle that is particularly tight or sore, try holding the spiky balls of the massage roller in that location with continuous pressure for a few minutes, or until you feel the tension release. You may even try moving the muscle around a bit, twisting, flexing and relaxing, or rippling movement (such as raising and lowering the fingers in a wave while applying pressure to the forearm). The spiky balls may be pressing into your muscle, fascia, or other tissue in a way that will cause your body to respond and reset or move to accommodate that pressure. The human body is an amazing thing which can and will respond to the appropriate stimulus!

HOW BIG IS THE SPIKY BALL MASSAGE ROLLER?

The Spiky Ball Massage Stick measures 16.7 inches long from end to end and is 2.3 inches in diameter at the widest point of the studded balls. The handles are 5 inches wide each. The whole massage stick weighs just under half a pound.

DO I NEED TO WORRY ABOUT BREAKING THE BAR?

The bar running through the Spiky Ball Massage Roller is iron, sturdy enough to resist bending or breaking when a normal amount of pressure is applied. Of course, nothing is indestructible, so some caution should be used to avoid excessive pressure that could bend or break the bar inside the roller. We specifically chose this massage roller design because it is not flimsy or fragile, and will live up to our customers' expectations of quality and effectiveness from the products we sell.

DO THE STUDS HURT? WILL I BLEED?

While the bar at the core of the Spiky Ball Massage Roller is metal for strength and durability, the balls are hard plastic (PVC). The studs on the balls are not sharp enough to pierce the skin, so you don't need to worry about hurting yourself or bleeding. Those more susceptible to bruising may find that using too much force or moving too quickly results in bruises, so be gentle and slow. The user controls how much pressure is applied, so you can manage what feels comfortable to you. Certain parts of the body may be more sensitive to the studs than others, so be cautious when using the roller for the first time or when using it on a different area of the body from what you have done before. Pressing hard into a bony part of the body may hurt, while rolling lightly over that area may be just what you need! 

WHAT IS FASCIA AND FASCIA RESTRICTION?

As a very simplified explanation, fascia (pronounced faa-shuh) is a fibrous tissue that wraps all the internal parts of the body: bones, muscles, joints, and organs. Fascia is partly what holds our bodies together and keeps things in place. However, sometimes, fascia will react to prolonged or severe pressure that pushes things out of place. After a while fascia will "remember" this new position and treat it as normal, keeping the body in that position rather than its natural state. This adjusted position is sometimes called fascia restriction. To reset the body to its natural state, the fascia must be held under pressure while the body goes back into place, and then the fascia can relearn to hold the original position rather than the adjusted one.

Did we answer all your questions?

If not, no problem simply call us at 800-289-0589 or email us at CustomerCareTeam@EmuTherapy.com and we can help you!