Trigger points are hyperirritable spots in skeletal muscle that feel like taut, ropy bands of fiber. Massage therapists often use tools to target patients' trigger points and promote muscle relaxation. According to Dr. Warren Hammer, a chiropractor and author of the textbook "Functional Soft Tissue Examination and Treatment by Manual Methods," the pads of your fingers simply cannot compete with instruments in a contest of sensitivity. The heightened tactile feedback afforded by instruments, along with their ability to spare the practitioner's hands from overuse, make massage and relaxation tools an important part of any manual therapist's approach to treating musculoskeletal complaints.
Graston Tools
According to GrastonTechnique.com, Graston Technique is a form of instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization used by clinicians to break down scar tissue and reduce adhesions in your fascia--an uninterrupted web of fibrous tissue that runs from your head to your toes. There are six stainless steel Graston tools in each set. Each tool is shaped differently, and is designed to detect and treat scar tissue and chronic inflammation and help your tight muscles relax. A clinician uses the tools, which possess a carefully sculpted beveled edge, to palpate and mobilize your muscles. There are numerous massage tools on the market that are similar in design to Graston tools, but cost considerably less. These tools typically are constructed of wood, plastic, stoneware clay or other materials. Many of these tools share the common feature of a beveled leading edge, which helps plow through your tissue to break up scar tissue and fascial adhesions.
Foam Roller
A foam roller is a high-density foam cylinder used to help relax tight muscles. Foam rollers typically are 6 in. in diameter and range from 12 to 36 in. in length, and are used both in a manual therapists office or by patients and athletes at home as a self-massage technique for injury prevention or recovery. Michael Boyle, writing on the website StrengthCoach.com, refers to foam rollers as "the poor man's massage therapist," a reference to the relative affordability of foam rollers and their effectiveness in helping your tight muscles relax. Boyle states that the use of foam rollers has progressed from an acupressure approach to a self-massage approach, and that foam rollers are regularly used to apply long, sweeping strokes to bulkier muscles groups, such as your calves, groin and quadriceps. Other muscles that can benefit from your use of a foam roller include your tensor fasciae latae (TFL), piriformis and gluteal muscles.
Tennis Ball
Using a tennis ball to target your trigger points is a simple, cost-effective way to help massage your muscles and promote muscle relaxation. The tennis ball can be used as a point-source of pressure to treat trigger points in your upper and lower body muscles, with the intention of reducing your muscle tightness, restoring normal blood flow to your muscles and decreasing trigger point-related pain or discomfort. Place your tennis ball between your tender muscle and a firm surface, such as a wall or a floor. Slowly put pressure on your ball and gently roll your tender muscle back and forth over your ball to find the areas of maximum tenderness; these are the locations of your trigger points. You'll know you have found your trigger points when you experience a focal discomfort that can only be described as a "hurt-so-good" type of pain. Use a moderate amount of pressure to compress each painful nodule for 20 seconds before moving on to the next point. Your total treatment time when using a tennis ball for trigger point therapy and massage should be no more than 5 minutes per session.
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