The Miracle Ball Method

I have talked about The Miracle Ball Method to many of my friends and also promised to write about it. Lower back pain is something almost all of us have experienced. There is absolutely nothing worse than being in constant pain. After a while it takes over and controls every thinking moment. I can understand how easily people become addicted to pain killers and, unfortunately, overdose. The pills only help for a little while and you constantly need more to help block out the pain. I say block it out, because nothing I took helped for any length of time.
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I tried medical doctors and chiropractors. Medical doctors prescribed pain pills and muscle relaxers. Chiropractors were more expensive and at a loss when the treatment plan ended without my being well again. I tried ice, heat, massage and injections. In the end, I lost faith in ever feeling better. I think I read somewhere that after six weeks of pain, it is considered chronic pain. Like we need anyone to tell us that!
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So, there I was, taking pills that didn't help, trying everything I could think of and feeling pretty desperate. I decided to crawl to the computer, fire up the Internet and search for answers. I found out a lot of helpful information. Some of it I had tried. But, I also found out that there is a group of muscles in your back that run from your femur to your spine. Collectively, they are referred to as The Iliopsoas Muscle. When this muscle spasms, it can mimic a slipped disc and the pain is beyond belief. My next step was to search out treatments. Trigger Point therapy by a massage therapist came up as the most suggested treatment. Sounds easy, right? Well, not if you live in a rural area and find it difficult to drive due to, let's say, a back spasm.
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If you can find a massage therapist trained in trigger point therapy, then I would give it a try. It is something I still want to do. In any case, I searched for self-applied trigger point methods. There are a lot of products out there and it surprised me. They range from hard metal thingys to little triangles. All looked painful to me. Above all else, I did not want to inflict more pain on myself or do any damage. During all of this time, I carried a little hard rubber ball (about the size of an orange) with me. I used it in the car and in the office chair. I found that it helped bring relief if I placed it in certain areas around my back and leaned on it. So, when I came across information on The Miracle Ball Method, I was very intrigued.
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The Miracle Ball Method was developed by a young dancer named Elaine Petrone who suffered an injury to her back and leg. Basically they are two grapefruit-sized balls that you rest your back on for relief. The balls are soft and squish down to about half their size when you lie on them. Through breathing exercises and relaxing onto the balls, the method promises stress and pain relief. For me, they had two things going for them. One, they were relatively inexpensive compared to other products. Two, I didn't see how I could harm myself with the balls. They were soft, and I was already using a much harder one without any instruction.
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I couldn't wait to try them when I received my order. My only hesitation was whether I would be able to get back up off the floor! So, it sounds easy. All you have to do is breath and relax. Easier said than done when you are in pain. But, I did it. And, honest truth, when I got up off the floor, I felt like I had just had a full-body massage. Every muscle seemed to be relaxed and I felt wonderful. I had no idea how tense I had been everywhere. I continued to improve over the next couple of weeks.
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The Miracle Ball Method has a whole range of exercises for different areas of the body. I've only concentrated on my neck and back. It might not work for you, but it definitely worked for me. Well, that's two-cents worth. Do your own research and find a product that is right for you. Just remember, you don't have to live with the pain. Keep looking until you find the problem and solution. Life is too short to live in pain.

(Note: The opinions in this blog are my own and you should seek the advise of your medical doctor before making any changes to your exercise or diet routine.)