These are 5 things I have all my athletes get when starting to work with me.

(From:FaceBook Live September 7, 2017)

1. Small 4” Exercise Balls (set of 2) 

• Used for self massage and sensory stimulation as well as props for various exercises 

• Very important that they are soft and can be inflated to various degrees to ensure a non- painful experience for you and your sensory nerves! 

• Tennis balls are not soft enough 

• You will need a hand pump to inflate or deflate them (like you would use for a basketball or soccer ball) 

• My preferred brands are: 

  • Franklin Method- Smooth, Textured, or Easy Grip balls 

    • Smooth 

    • Textured 

    • Easy Grip

    • Also available through OPTP 

  • Balanced Body- 4” Ball

2. Nasal Irrigation 

• Used to open nasal passageway 

• Important for maintaining a 3D breath, specifically facilitating breath into the lower parts of the young and expanding the bucket handle and caliper motion of the lower ribs. 

• This improved breathing pattern can improve thoracic mobility, shoulder and neck health, trunk stability, low back pain, acid reflux, stress, and aerobic capacity. 

• My preferred brands are: 

  • Nelimed fine mist 

  • Fine mist I find helpful if very congested due to allergies or a cold. This is a good starter if new to nasal irrigation.

  • Nelimed Neti Pot 

  • These you can typically find at a pharmacy type store like Walgreen’s, CVS, or Rite-Aid too

3. Compression Toe Socks 

• Compression socks help to counteract the effects of gravity on the venous and lymphatic system and keep excess fluid from being in your legs. 

• Essential for traveling on airplanes or long distances in the car.

• Good for swelling due to injury in the foot, ankle, low leg, or knee. 

• Even though they are only over the calf (OTC) compression still will help to decrease knee joint swelling from the improved venous and lymph return. 

• Also helpful for recovery after workouts that may cause delayed onset muscle soreness or “tightness” in the legs. 

• My preferred brand to use: 

  • Injinji OTC ultra compression

  • Other brands: 

    • Toe Sox OTC compression 

    • CEP OTC compression 

      • CEP is a good brand, however I would prefer toe socks vs. normal socks 

4. Magnesium Supplement 

• Good for calming the nervous system and sympathetic load 

• Good for stool softening and relieving constipation 

• I mainly recommend it to clients for the GI benefits of staying regular, as GI distress like constipation can cause low back pain and destabilization of the core. GI distress can be food related, stress related, or mechanically (too much abdominal muscle stiffness) related.

  • My preferred brand: 

    • Natural Calm 8oz Powder 

    • Natural Calm Individual packets for travel

5. Rock Mat 

• Great for stimulating the sensory nerves and receptors of the foot, which help to provide essential sensory input to the low back and pelvic floor. 

• Spending minimum 20-30min per day standing and walking on rocks may help to decrease low back pain, pelvic pain, hip pain, knee pain, plantar fasciitis pain, and improve ankle mobility and pelvic positioning. 

• Preferred rock mats: 

  • Making your own rock mat or tray with real rocks I believe is far superior.

  • Read this blog post to learn how to make your own or purchase my favorite commercial options