I was recently invited to review the Bakballs self massage tool. I was impressed by the versatility it’s effectiveness. Bakballs can massage sore & stiff muscles, help promote better posture and help facilitate movement for tight or stiff joints. 3 important factors in back care.
I found it useful while sitting at my desk to help maintain good posture. I placed the Bakballs between my lower back & the chair and they helped me keep a 
neutral spine & therefore low level core activation. Like many people, if I sit too long I slump into poor posture with a rounded back but the Bakballs kept me sitting tall. I also used it up higher between my shoulder blades & lent back with a bit more force to get a massage just below & between the shoulder blades. This is where I appreciated the grooved design, so that the balls were massaging my back muscles either side of the spine but not placing pressure on my vertebrae. I’d imagine anyone who had sensitive or bruised vertebrae would 
definitely appreciate this. Of course the Bakballs are not a ‘fix everything’ magic wand for the back, but they can definitely help improve chronic pain or poor posture. Anyone with acute back injuries or untreated conditions should see a Physio or Chiro to develop a treatment plan. I’m sure the Bakballs can feature in this. In fact I was impressed that the Bakballs are endorsed by the APA (Australian Physiotherapy Association).
However, one thing I really enjoyed about the Bakballs is that it’s not only for backs. As someone who doesn’t suffer from a lot of back pain I was eager to try it out on other areas. My feet loved 
the Bakballs. It’s great for the arch of the foot & the many small muscles which can become sore & tight through long runs (or a poor choice in footwear like high heels). Rolling the plantar fascia over the curved surface of the Bakballs was great. I typically do it one foot at a time, but you do have the option of doing both at the same time.
As many runners will know the ITB is a common sight of tightness & the Bakballs worked well on the ITB too. It made a nice change from the foam roller (& is a lot smaller). I also used it for my gluts (Glut Med), high & wide above my hips. That’s my ‘Achilles heel’ and it was great to get in & release the tight muscles. It hurt, but in a good way, as the round surface of the Bakballs was great to get in into the muscle & by manoeuvring & adjusting the angle you can get exactly where you need to loosen. In comparison to a standard foam roller (which I also think are good) the Bakballs were great and are much more portable if you’re going away for work, holidays or on a long car trip.
As seen in this demo shot (right) I pulled off one of the websites selling Bakballs, 
laying on the Bakballs is a great self massage technique for sore back muscles. I used it myself and with several clients & family this last week. Many found it a bit uncomfortable initially but I thought it was great, once I relaxed the torso, breathed deeply. Slowly moving over the Bakballs really helped loosen the thoracic spine & rib cage area. I was glad to have the red soft version, but definitely found it relieving & more enjoyable the longer I lay on the Bakballs.
I mentioned above the Bakballs can help facilitate movement in stiff joints. It’s important that this is done to joints that need to move & it is not used to overextend certain positions. Returning the spine to its normal curve is good. Extending past it isn’t wise, so consult your Physio or exercise physiologist for more assistance.
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