This is a foam roller from Amazon:
I picked up mine from the local sporting goods store at around $20. I used a serrated kitchen knife to cut the foam roller into 2 pieces: piece 1 is 12 inches long; piece 2 is about 2 feet long (a little wider than hip width apart). Now the goods - HOW TO USE THE THING EFFECTIVELY!
One of my favorite ways to use my roller is like this:
- Step 1) Sit on the floor.
- Step 2) Take the shorter piece of the foam roller that you cut and turn it vertically. Even if you don't have a foam roller, you can take any cylindrical object and place it between your thighs (think Campbell's Soup can).
- Step 3) Place the vertically oriented foam roller between your thighs as close to the pubic bone as possible.
- Step 4) Try your best to relax your entire body. Using a deep breath from the belly in through the nose (for a count of 4) and releasing it through the mouth (for a count of 8) works well for me.
- Step 5) Squeeze the foam roller with your inner thighs. I put my hands next to my hips to stabilize myself so I can't cheat to my right (spasm, TMJ) side.
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When I do this thigh squeezing exercise, I feel IMMEDIATE relief in my right jaw and neck pain. It's crazy because I didn't even touch my neck! I like to vary my knee positions (raise the knees a couple inches off of the floor) and squeeze the roller in this position. I also vary the direction my toes are pointing while employing the thigh squeeze. I keep my back either very straight OR slightly arched to make sure I am not cheating and using my overly developed right back muscle to achieve the squeeze.
Now to address the elephant in the room: yes, this position does look awkward! So, all I have to say is: get over it! Or probably easier, you can just do the exercise in a hidden spot in your house. Personally speaking, my boyfriend is already aware of my self healing antics; he doesn't even bat an eye.
I hope this helps someone out there!
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