According to Glasgow-based massage therapist Trevor Chisman, one of the easiest ways to ease tension in the back is to spend a few minutes each day massaging the affected area with a tennis ball. "People who sit at a desk every day, hunched over a keyboard, tend to get a lot of knotting in their back," he says. "A tennis ball can make a huge difference."
"Stand against a wall, with the ball placed between your spine and your shoulderblade; move up and down for a minute or two; then repeat on the other shoulderblade. Alternatively, lie on the floor, with the ball in the same place, and roll back and forth."
The technique can also be used on the thighs or buttocks. For the thighs, Chisman advises sitting on a table with your thighs on the surface, and the rest of your leg hanging over the edge. Place the ball under your thigh, then straighten your leg so that the ball moves up and down the muscle. "It's great for the glutes, too," he adds. "Lie on the floor or lean against the wall, with the ball against your buttock muscles, and move so the ball moves with you. A lot of sportspeople do this as a simple form of physio."
"I have people," says Chisman, "who never go anywhere without a tennis ball in their suitcase."
