Welcome back to our Move With Us series! Today we’re going to be doing a lower body release using a spikey ball.

Spikey balls are great for muscle and myofascial release and can help target those hard to stretch areas. Today’s video works through the muscles of the lower body and would be great to relieve tension from time spent sitting or to help tired muscles from lots of running and walking.

Grab your spikey ball and let’s move!

Spikey Ball Plantar Fascia Release

• Stating standing place the ball under one foot

• Placing as much pressure as is comfortable, roll the ball up and down the underside of the foot

• For areas of extra tension, hold the ball over the spot and push down on the ball to inhibit and release the area

• Repeat for 30 seconds each side or more if needed

Spikey Ball Calf Release

• Sitting on your knees, place the ball behind the left knee

• Using your hands on the mat or floor in front of you as support, slowly lower yourself down towards your heels

• The pressure through the ball will work to release through your calf muscles as well as the hamstring attachment points at your knee

• Move between a high and low kneel working to release the calf muscles

• You can move the ball further down the calf to target different areas of the muscle

• Repeat on the right knee

Spikey Ball Glute Release

• Lying on your back, place the spikey ball underneath your glute so that it is sitting next to your tail bone on the muscle

• Arms out to the side for support, slowly lengthen your leg and feel the spikey ball work through your glute muscles

• Return your leg to bent and repeat 3-4 times or more if desired

• You can move the ball to different parts of the muscle if needed before repeating on the other leg

Spikey Ball Hip Flexor Release

• Lying on your stomach with your hands placed under your forehead for support, place the spikey ball underneath your hip on the inside of your hip bone

• Slowly bend the leg and then circle it outwards back to straight

• The circular motion helps release the hip flexors but if it is too hard you can bend the knee straight up and down

• Move the spikey ball to different parts of the muscle to feel the release

• Repeat 4-6 times or more if desired before repeating on the other leg

We hope you found this helpful! Feel free to repeat this series multiple times through out the week and keep Moving With Us. If you have any questions or need any advice on any of these exercises, please don't hesitate to reach out and chat to us.

Remember that you shouldn’t feel pain during any of these exercises. If they are painful for you, consider avoiding that exercise or decreasing the intensity. We are always here to help if needed.

If you’re after some more advice or are in need of some hands on help, we’d love to see you at Collective Motion! Collective Motion offers Osteopathy, Myotherapy, Dietetics and Pilates and is conveniently located to service our Bentleigh community as well as its surrounding suburbs including Bentleigh East, McKinnon, Ormond, Glenhuntly, Murrumbeena, Carnegie, Oakleigh, Gardenvale, Brighton East and Hampton East. Click below to book an appointment and let us help you get moving again.