A Yoga Wheel Can Help Your Workout, AND Your Chronic Pain
Since quarantine, i’ve realized that 1) I need to exercise every day, lest each evening have a Suday scaries vibe, and 2) I need to make sure I stretch, maybe even more than usual. Body be achin’. I got this set of torture tools, and they’re all great, and I’m even stretching out my feet with these goofy things, but I kept getting ads on my Instagram for a little tool (not naming them because… I’m about to call them scammers) that claimed to help stretch out your back and relieve pain. I was immediately like, “Oooh yeah I want to roll around on that thing!” And then I looked it up and it costs anywhere from $45 to $65 (it comes in three sizes). I’ll let you in on a little secret (not a secret): This amazing technology to erase back pain? It’s a yoga wheel. You can get them all over the place. I got this Gaiam one at Target for $18.
Just a few things you can do with a yoga wheel (source)
The Gaiam yoga wheel isn’t perfect for stretching out my back, but for the price point? It’s great. Basically, a yoga wheel is a big, sturdy wheel, and while you can definitely use it to relieve pain and pressure in your back, you can also use it to help with poses and flow. While looking for images to illustrate how to use a yoga wheel, I found people using them with planks, and I’m going to try that ASAP (I cannot hold a plank for a full minute, I’m working on it).
Yoga wheels are very strong and supportive, but I’d check the weight limits if that’s something you’re concerned about. This Gaiam wheel supports up to 250lbs, but there are ones out there with higher limits. The expensive wheel I mentioned up top supports up to 500lbs (but again, is significantly more expensive). All yoga wheels are coated in a soft-ish material for added comfort. The Gaiam one is wrapped in their premium yoga mat material, and it’s got a good amount of squish - it cushions the joints without being too loosey-goosey.
If you want to try out a yoga wheel, whether for exercise or stretching or both, then the Gaiam wheel is a great place to start. The idea of a slightly smaller wheel for more targeted pain relief is appealing to me - and maybe one day I will splurge on a pricy Instagram ad one - but for now, I love my under $20 solution.
Note: Right now, like a lot of fitness equipment, this particular wheel is sold out at Target and the Gaiam site. It was sold out at Target when I first wanted to purchase, but I signed up to be alerted when it was back in stock, and I got it within a week. I’ve noticed that happening for a LOT of stuff at Target. And then once I buy it, it’s out of stock again. Maybe they have one and they’re just waiting for someone to ask, who knows?
