If you're one of the many people who suffer from plantar fasciitis, you know how painful and frustrating it can be. Well, rejoice! There are products that may be able to help and not just an old-fashioned hot water foot massagers! These massage balls have been shown to be an effective treatment for tight muscles and relieve pain and importantly can replace lots of other expensive massage tools. In this blog post, we will discuss what fasciitis is, how these massage balls work, and some of the pros and cons of using them on your feet.
Note to reader - a massage product doesn't always need to be specifically designed to improve foot pain or ease tightness, ease pain and help you recover faster. Hint. look at the kong ball!
Suffering from plantar fasciitis? You're not alone.
Millions of people suffer from this painful condition, which is caused by inflammation of the plantar fascia - a band of tissue that extends from the heel to the toes. It affects all populations, including professional athletes and your local shop keeper!
If you're looking for an effective treatment, look no further than the best massage balls we have chosen! They have been shown to be an effective way to reduce inflammation of connective tissue, relieve pain and potentially also increase circulation.
What Is Plantar Fasciitis And How To Recognise It?
This nasty foot condition results in pain and inflammation at the bottom of the foot. The plantar fascia is a band of tissue that runs along the bottom of the foot and supports the arch. When this band of tissue becomes inflamed, it can cause achy feet or heel pain.
The most common symptoms are:
- pain on the bottom of your foot, especially in the morning or after standing for long periods of time
- pain that gets worse after exercise or after inactivity.
- swelling on the bottom of your foot, with muscle soreness
- redness or warmth on your heel
- difficulty in supporting the person's own body weight.
Typical location of the pain.
How I Chose The best massage balls for your plantar fasciitis
You're in pain and you need relief quickly, but you're not sure which massage ball is right for you.
It can be tough to know which massage ball is best for your needs when there are so many on the market. And if you have plantar fasciitis, it's even more important to get the right one and use it correctly.
I've done the the research for you and found the best massage ball for plantar fasciitis. Whether you're looking for a hard or softer ball, I've got you covered.
The Top Picks
1. Epitomie Fitness Muscle Max Massage Ball - Therapy Ball For Trigger Point
2. Fitness Cryosphere Cold Massage Roller - Cold&Heat Relief
3. Chuckit!Ultra ball fetch ball (Yes you read that right!)
Epitomie Fitness Muscle Max Massage Ball
The Epitomie Fitness Muscle Max Massage Ball is a beast of a massage ball and isn't just for feet. It could be used any where within reason. It can take some serious pounding and with stand up to 500lbs.
Oh it also has a travel bag too!
Its reviews are good with around 75% being 5 star. Negative reviews are that it is expensive and perhaps no better than a lacrosse ball.
It is made of high-quality neoprene latex. Use it to relax your deep tissue muscles before and after exercise.
Pros
Made of high-quality materials
Benecial for maintenance and prevention
This ball is a great size for most applications, very sturdy
Cons
The ball may be too hard for some people.
My thoughts......I wonder if the diameter of 3.2 inches (81mm) will be too large for some small footed individuals.
Fitness Cryosphere Cold Massage Roller - Cold & Heat Relief
Something a bit different here. Physiotherapist often recommend rolling on something cold for foot pain. Sometimes hot is recommended for other area and with this ball you can easily do both therapies.
The manufacturers call it a 3 in 1 therapy, ie cold, hot and room temperature. I guess that is accurate.
The ball is nice quality stainless steal,tactile and filled with a gel that enables the hot or cold therapy to take place.
The tutorial video on Amazon is a little strange and shows people stroking themselves with the ball. I think using it to roll an area is it's best use!
The reviews are 90% in favour of the equipment, the negative reviews say it doesn't roll well in its ABS base.
This one has a handy travel bag too!
Pros
Easy to hold and move at 60mm
The product is well made, easy to clean, and easy to use
Great product for facial or body therapy
The ergonomic design is high quality
Cons
Skin can get snagged between the ball and the base if your are over weight.
Chuckit! Ultra Ball
At this point you probably think I've lost my mind. The reviews say they are great for labradors and last for weeks. Clearly designed for dogs but I often get my patients to buy these instead of more expensive alternatives. They are a 1/4 of the price of the rivals, have a nice diameter of 2.5 inches (63.5mm). Last musch longer than a tennis ball and when your foot has recovered you have 2 balls to give to your or your friends dog!
Well worth considering in my opinion!
FAQs
What are some of the benefits of massage balls?
There are a few benefits of using massage balls for plantar fasiitis. The massage balls help to improve blood circulation, which can help to reduce inflammation and pain. They can also help to break up scar tissue and increase the range of motion in the ankle and foot. Additionally, massage balls can be helpful for stretching tight muscles and fascia in the foot and ankle.
How do I use a massage ball?
To use a massage ball for plantar fasciitis simply roll it under the foot (or feet). Start at the heel and rolling it towards the toes. You can also press down on the ball to apply more pressure. For best results, do this for 2-3 minutes per foot. You can also use a massage ball to massage other parts of the body, such as the neck, back, and shoulders, hip flexors (or even your entire body if you so wish) . You do not need to push your whole body weight through the ball as that can actually make the condition(s) worse. Think of it as deep tissue massage pressure and not a hard sports massage.
Typical placement of a foot roller / ball.
What is the advantage of a spiky ball?
Some people swear that using a spiky massage ball is more beneficial than a massage ball or vibrating massage ball to ease tightness, and pain and loosen tight muscles however, that seems to be anecdotal in evidence and is a poorly personal preference.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Epitomie Fitness Muscle Max Massage Ball is the best premium massage ball to reduce muscle tightness. Being able to have targeted pressure to relieve pressure points and hopefully help to break down scar tissue. The result is a reduction in foot pain just like a massage therapist might achieve!
If you are a cold therapy junky then the Fitness Cryosphere Cold Massage Roller is sure to help with trigger points, and connective tissue problems, and improve circulation in all the foots tight areas.
Finally, if you are on a tight budget or just want a spare massage ball for travelling etc then think about the chuckit! ball. It may not have the different surface textures of some of the fancy myofascial release balls but it comes a very close second place!