All of my clients know that I am a huge fan of self massage. It not only calms our nervous system, but it can also keep us more balanced and pain free. Here are a few of my favorite tools. Just a few minutes a day can make a big difference!

Yoga Tune Up Balls- I LOVE the alpha ball for glutes and outer hips, the classic tune up balls for between the shoulder blades and along the spine, and the Plus balls for any and all of those places.

Chirp Wheel- I use the Chirp Wheel every day after work. It helps to keep the muscles along my spine feeling good and to keep all the spinal bones mobile. I recommend the 12” or 10.”

Theracane- The Theracane is an old school bodywork tool. It is a great way to gently free up the upper back and top of shoulders. The key is to work gently as it is a very hard bodywork tool.

Correct Toes or Noboso toe spacers- Both of these toe spacers can be worn with shoes and are a wonderful way to work with bunions and tight feet in general.

Still Point Inducer- This is such a lovely tool to ease headaches and tension in the neck and head. It is a bit softer than the other tools and can make a huge difference.

Tools from The Foot Collective- I am a huge fan of the Foot Collective. I love the Soulemate as well as all of the information and exercises that they have about feet.

Yamuna Balls- I use the Yamuna silver ball all the time. It is the right amount of firmness without being aggressive. She also has great videos and guides.

"Strength that has effort in it is not what you need; you need the strength that is the result of ease." ~ Ida Rolf

"Some individuals may perceive their losing fight with gravity as a sharp pain in their back, others as the unflattering contour of their body, others as constant fatigue, yet others as an unrelentingly threatening environment. Those over forty may call it old age. And yet all these signals may be pointing to a single problem so prominent in their own structure, as well as others, that it has been ignored: they are off balance, they are at war with gravity." ~ Ida Rolf

"The body is solid material wrapped around the breath" ~ Ida Rolf

"Practitioners of SI do not feel ourselves to be therapists. The gravitational field is the therapist. What we do is prepare the body to receive the support from the gravitational field which gives a greater sense of well being." ~ Ida Rolf

Here is a 75 minute Rolfing session in 51 seconds. A quick glimpse into the Rolfing room!

A lot of Rolfing clients come to see me complaining of upper back and neck pain. One possible culprit is something I call “stress breathing.” Do you ever shrug your shoulders up by your ears to take an inhale and drop the shoulders on the exhale? I’ve noticed many of us breath this way when we are stressed out or are not supported well while sitting or standing. This way of breathing recruits the trapezius, scalenes, and levator scapula muscles (to name a few) to lift the ribcage instead of allowing the diaphragm to do the work. You end up with chronically overworked muscles that hurt.

Try this: put your hands in your armpits. Can you feel your ribs moving into your hands as you breath? Do you notice your chest and upper back moving in response to the breath? Are your shoulders shrugging up and down? What if your shoulders rested on your rib cage and just went along for the ride?

This type of diaphragmatic breathing can have a profound effect on your nervous system and can ease your neck and upper back. Give it a try!