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About The Ballzac
The Ballzac was created as a simple, compact tool for targeted self-massage. Featuring two removable rubber massage balls, it is designed to help target tight muscles and trigger points without bulky equipment.
Created by a Physio Who Saw the Need First-Hand
Throughout her career as a physio, Joanne Hornsby has worked with people from all walks of life — athletes, weekend warriors, gardeners, desk workers and those simply wanting to stay active and pain-free as they age.
Over the years, she noticed a common problem: people needed effective self-care tools between appointments, but many massage products on the market were poorly designed, uncomfortable or simply didn’t do the job properly.
At the same time, Joanne needed something for herself — something that could support recovery after long trail runs, ease tight muscles from kitesurfing and relieve the aches that come from hours spent gardening.
So she decided to create it: The Ballzac™.
Meet Joanne Hornsby
My name is Joanne Hornsby, and I am the founder and owner of Physio4all.
Originally from Northern England, I graduated from Leeds Metropolitan University in 1999 with an Honours degree in Sport & Exercise Science. Driven by a passion for sports-related healthcare and private practice, I established and successfully ran my own sports massage clinic before furthering my qualifications in physiotherapy.
In 2003, I graduated from Bradford University with an Honours degree in Physiotherapy.
With over 20 years of experience in the private sector, I developed and managed successful private practices in England before relocating to New Zealand in 2010. Shortly after arriving, I began practising on Auckland’s North Shore and founded Physio4all in 2014. Since then, the clinic has grown into two professional and conveniently located practices in Browns Bay and Takapuna.
Throughout my career, I have treated a wide range of athletes, including working closely with UK Athletics, professional rugby league players and squash players.
My special interests include complex lumbar, pelvic and cervical conditions, shoulder injuries, hip and knee injuries and replacements, tendinopathies and soft tissue injuries. My treatment approach combines hands-on manual therapy with muscle energy techniques, fascia release, deep soft tissue massage and exercise-based rehabilitation to help patients achieve long-term results.
Designed for
Targeted Relief
The Ballzac features two removable rubber massage balls that can be used together or separately to apply controlled pressure to tight muscles, trigger points and hard-to-reach areas.
It is compact, simple to use and designed for people who want a practical way to support muscle release at home, at work, after training or while travelling.
Developed Through Real Physiotherapy Experience
Throughout my career as a physiotherapist, I recognised the need for a self-treatment tool that could effectively replicate hands-on therapy while remaining simple, portable and easy to use.
Many products on the market were either too bulky, uncomfortable or ineffective at targeting deeper muscle tension and trigger points.
Using my clinical experience in treating sports injuries, postural dysfunction and soft tissue pain, I developed The Ballzac to provide effective muscle release and recovery in a compact, portable design.
The Ballzac was developed and refined over time using techniques commonly applied in physiotherapy, including trigger point therapy, myofascial release and deep soft tissue massage. Different shapes, densities and materials were tested both personally and within clinical settings to ensure the tool was comfortable, durable and effective across a wide range of muscle groups.
Before launch, the product was trialled extensively with patients and athletes, whose feedback helped refine the final design and improve ease of use, pressure control and overall effectiveness.
The result is a practical self-massage tool designed to help people manage muscle tension, mobility and recovery more effectively wherever they are.
Practical, Portable and a Little Bit Cheeky
The name may get attention, but the product has a genuine purpose. The Ballzac was created to make self-massage more accessible, helping people target everyday tightness and tension with compact massage balls they can use almost anywhere.
