Of course you can use the original YTU Therapy balls. However the ALPHA is perfect for those bony areas and larger muscle mass areas such as the shoulder scapula, QL, pecs, buttocks, and hips. With the same grippiness and pliability as original YTU Therapy Balls, except larger.  The size provides a different stimulus for your tissues and can be used interchangeably with the original YTU Balls. The larger ball grabs a hold of more area at once, so it actually minimize the trigger point specificity but feels good in a different way as it reaches deeper around the bones. Larger massed individuals may also prefer the larger ball. - See more at: http://www.wodnut.com/ytu-alpha-ball.html#sthash.bWWvU4Np.dpuf