A no-frills massage tool that hits all the right spots
Although foam rolling can improve circulation and flexibility, reduce tightness, and even ease soreness, I’ve always found it to be too uncomfortable and strenuous. And foam rollers are impractical for travel (when my body is often at its stiffest).
A foam roller also applies pressure over a large surface area, so it can’t always reach deep tissue (the integrated muscle and connective tissue, known as fascia, working together to move your body), Antonio Stecco, a leading fascia researcher and professor at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine, said in an interview.
Percussive massage devices (like the Therabody Theragun Prime, Wirecutter’s top-pick massage gun) can be used to deliver more-localized treatment, but there isn’t a lot of evidence to support the benefits of using a massage gun. There is, however, evidence of the benefits from manual massage. Anecdotal benefits aside, I personally find them to be loud and unwieldy, especially for my back and shoulders, and they need to be recharged.
The humble massage ball does what foam rolling does—it helps slide, separate, and lubricate layers of soft tissue, and this helps improve circulation and reduce stiffness and adhesions (what we often call knots). Yet due to its smaller surface area, a massage ball can reach deeper layers of fascia, Stecco said.
I personally prefer the massage ball’s maneuverability and versatility—360 degrees, versus a single axis of rolling—and you can use it effectively while seated or lying on the floor. Plus, unlike a bulky foam roller or a massage gun, a massage ball can easily snuggle up around the shoulder blades or on either side of the spine, where I need a massage most of the time.
Better still, massage balls offer a customizable approach to self-massage. Not only can you find a set with the size, density, and material that you prefer, from natural rubber to natural cork, but you can modulate the intensity of the massage with your technique. Rolling out your shoulders by leaning against a wall can feel less intense than rolling against the floor, for example.
Massage balls are also incredibly affordable compared with a motorized tool. I own several different pairs from Tune Up Fitness and Sky Ting, a yoga studio in New York City. So I can always have one on hand, at my work desk, in my car, with my yoga mat—and always, always in my personal item when I fly, since I can subtly use these balls in a plane seat without disrupting my neighbor.
Of course, any relatively dense small or mid-size ball can be used to roll out muscle and fascia. Tennis balls, for example, are commonly recommended by physical therapists to help conditions like plantar fasciitis.
But tennis balls lose firmness over time, and they lack good grip. A firm and rubbery material, such as that of the Tune Up Fitness balls, makes it easier to control placement of the ball without it shooting out from under you. Another advantage to massage-specific balls is that they are often sold in pairs in a little carrying pouch. So you can use them individually or as a peanut-shaped unit, which I like for rolling out my IT band and back muscles (it can hug the neck and spine without putting pressure on bone).
Similar in size to tennis balls, the Tune Up Fitness Yoga Tune Up Therapy Balls are made of natural rubber, and they’re a good choice for people with a very sensitive treatment area or who are getting used to the sensation of rolling out tight muscle groups. They are denser and grippier than a tennis ball, but they still have a little give.
For some people, the Yoga Tune Up balls might not be dense enough. The ones I reach for most often are actually lacrosse balls, made of denser, marbleized synthetic rubbery material; I bought them from Sky Ting yoga studio (full disclosure, I did a yoga teacher training there and continue to be a student).
Staff pick
Blonyx Lacrosse Ball
An affordable single
These balls are a dense rubbery material for a deeper massage, and each one costs only $10, so you can stock up.
Buying Options
$10 from Blonyx
Champion Sports Official Lacrosse Ball
An affordable pair
Another classic and affordable lacrosse ball, these come in pairs. To store them, you have to get your own pouch—a sock will do.
Buying Options
$12 from Amazon
Sky Ting Massage Balls
A dense pair for deep tissue
These lacrosse-style balls come with a convenient storage pouch, and their fun tie-dye color makes them a great gift.
Buying Options
$25 from Sky Ting
Michael Cohen, a New York–based yoga teacher, leads Sky Ting classes that incorporate massage balls, and he agreed that the denser rubber gives a more intense, deeper tissue massage.
You can get lacrosse balls at many sports supply stores. Ted Tae, a video journalist for The New York Times’ Well section, recommends the Blonyx Lacrosse Ball in the 2024 New York Times Holiday Gift Guide: It’s “sturdier than a tennis ball, more maneuverable than a foam roller, and perfectly sized to fit snugly in between your spine and shoulder blade—ideal for loosening a stiff upper back, or anywhere on your body that needs it.” We also recommend Champion Sports Lacrosse Balls, which you can purchase in packs of two.
Staff pick
Tune Up Fitness Alpha Twin Set
More surface area
These natural rubber balls have a larger, 3.5-inch diameter for foam-roller–like release.
Buying Options
$31 from Amazon
For larger, tighter, and more-tender muscle groups, I love the larger Tune Up Fitness Alpha Twin Set massage balls. They are made of the same natural rubber material as the Yoga Tune Up balls, but they’re about the size of a large orange. Tune Up Fitness recommends these balls for areas with large muscle mass, where you want a wide area of traction, and they are my go-to for IT band, quad, and psoas massage. These balls feel gentler for applying full-body pressure over very tight areas and near my hip bones and sacrum (the flat bony zone where the spine meets the pelvis). But due to their the larger surface area, they may not massage as deeply as a smaller ball.
How we roll
You should avoid some things when using yoga balls: Don’t roll directly on top of bone, which can bruise. (And if you do, you’ll probably find it uncomfortable and quickly change tack.) Change location or intensity to back away from sharp pain or any sensation that feels “sharp or electric,” said Nicole Pepe, a Philadelphia-based massage therapist and yoga teacher.
Massage balls are useful for working out stiffness or tightness, such as during or after a long flight. But before you start rolling out your sore spots, it’s important to first discuss your pain with a doctor. Pain is “not easy to self-treat,” said Stecco, because the exact spot where you’re feeling pain or discomfort may not actually be the area that needs treatment. In such cases, you may find yourself rolling and rolling an area where you feel pain with no improvement, and this can exacerbate tenderness and leave other issues untreated.
The main piece of advice is to listen to your body. If it hurts, ease off, and don’t overdo it.
Both Cohen and Pepe mentioned breath as a helpful guide. “I always emphasize using breath as the primary guide through this exploration,” Pepe said. “If you cannot take a deep breath, change where or how you are using the ball.”
Some yoga studios offer classes that guide students through self-massage. And there are also “books, video, and [online] resources for those who prefer a more structured experience,” said Pepe, who recommends Tune Up Fitness and Melt Method as starting points.
No other tool I own—not even my yoga mat—has so empowered me to get myself feeling better when my body feels encased in a shrunken sweater and muscle tension builds to a crescendo. Thanks to these balls and a bit of intuitive technique, I can find relief and even keep the knots at bay.
This article was edited by Alexander Aciman and Maxine Builder.
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