What Is Myofascial Release? Benefits of Lacrosse Ball Therapy for Pain & Mobility

If you’ve ever felt tightness in your hips, shoulders, neck, or back that stretching alone doesn’t seem to fix, your fascia may be part of the problem.

At Align Chiropractic in Spokane Valley, we teach simple self-myofascial release techniques using lacrosse balls to help release tension, improve movement, and calm an overworked nervous system. It’s one of the easiest and most effective tools you can use at home to support your body between chiropractic visits.

What Is Fascia?

Fascia is a web-like connective tissue that surrounds your muscles, joints, nerves, and organs. Think of it like a full-body support system that helps everything glide and move properly.

When fascia becomes tight, sticky, inflamed, or restricted, often from stress, repetitive movement, injury, sitting too much, workouts, poor posture, or old injuries it can create:

• Muscle tightness

• Pain and tension

• Reduced mobility

• Trigger points

• Headaches

• Hip and shoulder restriction

• Low back discomfort

• A feeling of stiffness even after stretching

This is where myofascial release can help.

What Is Myofascial Release?

Myofascial release is a technique that applies gentle sustained pressure to areas of fascial restriction and muscle tension to help the tissue relax and move better.

At Align Chiropractic, we use lacrosse balls as a simple and effective self-myofascial release tool. By using your body weight against the ball, you can target specific areas of tension and trigger points throughout the body.

It’s like giving yourself a deep tissue massage, but with more control and precision.

Benefits of Myofascial Release

People are often surprised how much better they feel after just a few minutes of focused release work.

Benefits may include:

• Improved flexibility and mobility

• Reduced muscle tension

• Better posture

• Decreased neck and shoulder tightness

• Relief from low back and hip discomfort

• Improved recovery after workouts

• Better body awareness

• Improved circulation

• Reduced stress and nervous system tension

• Easier movement during exercise and daily life

Many patients also notice they breathe better and feel more relaxed afterward because tight fascia can contribute to nervous system overload and shallow breathing patterns.

Why We Use Lacrosse Balls

Lacrosse balls are one of our favorite mobility tools because they’re:

• Affordable

• Portable

• Extremely effective

• Easy to use at home

• Great for targeting trigger points and deeper tension

Unlike foam rollers, lacrosse balls allow you to get into smaller, more stubborn areas like:

• Glutes and hips

• Upper back

• Feet

• Shoulders

• Chest muscles

• Neck attachments

• Jaw tension areas

We often combine chiropractic care with mobility work and myofascial release because adjustments tend to hold better when the surrounding muscles and fascia are less restricted.

Who Can Benefit From Myofascial Release?

Almost everyone.

We commonly recommend myofascial release for:

• Desk workers

• Active adults

• Weight lifters

• Runners

• Cyclists

• Hikers

• Barre and yoga enthusiasts

• People dealing with chronic tension

• Patients recovering from injury

• Anyone who feels stiff, tight, or “stuck”

It’s especially helpful for people who say:

“I stretch all the time but still feel tight.”

Myofascial Release Workshop in Spokane Valley

We’re excited to now offer Myofascial Release Workshops at Align Chiropractic in Spokane Valley.

In these workshops, you’ll learn:

• How fascia affects pain and movement

• The best areas to target with lacrosse balls

• Safe and effective release techniques

• Mobility exercises to pair with release work

• How to create a simple at-home routine

Our goal is to give you practical tools you can use every day to move better, feel better, and support your body long-term.

Our next workshop is May 16th at SoulBarre studio.