The Best Massage Balls For Deep And Targeted Muscle Relief

Need a way to target and massage those hard-to-reach muscles, whether you’re at home or on the road? Massage balls are a perfect (and portable) tool to work deep into your aches and pains.

Whether you’re looking for a simple ball to dig deep into your muscles, a ball with spiky projections to massage your feet, or even a bigger ball to target your large muscle groups, then you’ve come to the right place.

Check out our list of massage balls to help you massage deep into your muscles. And if you can’t get enough, check out our articles on massage sticks, foam rollers, and percussion massagers.

Best Simple Massage Ball: Kieba Massage Lacrosse Balls ($10)

Massage balls work immediately to target knots and pain anywhere on your body. While other muscle rollers have many benefits, they usually relieve pain in larger areas that may not be as deep. A Kieba Massage Lacrosse Ball is great for massaging muscles and their surrounding tissue to get rid of pain and relieve tight muscles.

Taking one of the Kieba balls and rubbing it into your body (or laying a ball on the ground and using your body weight to massage a muscle) gives you a concentrated massage that is sure to break up those problem areas. You can use this ball anywhere—sit in a chair, stretch out on a yoga mat, or even lie on a bed.

This pack comes with two Kieba balls, so you can either keep the balls in different locations for use or you can use two at the same time (to reach larger muscle areas). But because a Kieba ball can fit in the palm of your hand, you can easily bring it with you anywhere.

Best Massage Ball Kit: Vopex Massage Ball Set ($24)

Maybe you’ve got pain in your calves that require a smaller massage ball, but you also have knots in your back that need more attention than a small massage ball can give you. With the Vopex Massage Ball Set, you get 3 different sized foam balls, a peanut-shaped foam ball, and a spiky massage ball.  

The largest of the regular foam balls has a 3.5-inch diameter, so you can roll out those larger muscles, while the smallest size is 1.5 inches, which is great for areas like your feet or hands. The medium-sized foam ball is the size of a lacrosse ball, so you can use it anywhere on your body to target those tight muscles and kinks.

Use the peanut-shaped foam ball to safely roll out knots surrounding the spine and around your back. The spiky ball is best for targeting trigger points which will eventually lead to pain relief and an improvement in your range of motion after continued use.

These balls are durable and won’t bend or change shape over time. Using all of the balls in this kit can take care of your entire body, but if you’re looking for more specific products then keep reading!

Best Textured Massage Ball: Therapist’s Choice ($7)

This Therapist’s Choice Pack of 2 Spiky Massage Balls comes with two spiky hollow balls that have different firmnesses. The green ball, which can fit in the palm of your hand, is soft and is great for sensitive areas. The red ball, which is slightly smaller than the green ball, is firm and is perfect for troublesome knots anywhere on your body.

While either ball can be used on any part of your body, they’re particularly helpful for the feet, especially if you have plantar fasciitis (severe pain in the arch of the feet). Continuous use of either the soft or firm ball on your feet promotes healing and a decrease in pain levels. Don’t worry if you’ve got more than just foot pain—these Therapist’s Choice spiky balls can be used to knead muscles all over your body.

Best Hot or Cold Massage Ball: KT Tape Recovery+ Ice/Heat Massage Ball ($30)

Want a massage ball that combines deep tissue massage therapy, heat therapy, and ice therapy all in one? Then check out the KT Tape Recovery+ Ice/Heat Massage Ball! There are two interchangeable gel-cores for heat and ice therapy, or you can use the ball without either for a neutral massage. Just microwave the orange gel-core for heated massage, or place the blue gel-core in the freezer for a cold massage.

You can use light, long strokes to focus on larger muscle groups, or you can use circular motions over specific areas of pain. For deeper pain, you can press more firmly into the areas that need focus until you feel the knots releasing. The steel ball even has a convenient rubber grip to make it easier to hold, but you can also use this ball outside of the grip.   

Best Large Massage Ball: Trigger Point Performance Foam Massage Ball ($22)

A foam roller may be too large to get those trigger points, and while smaller massage balls can target deep knots, sometimes the pain may be too intense to be able to break them down. A perfect solution is to use a large massage ball like the Trigger Point Performance Foam Massage Ball. This firm ball is 5 inches in diameter, making it about the size of a large grapefruit.

Use your body weight to roll out those knots in your hips, glutes, shoulders, and even lower back. And because the Trigger Point Performance ball is made of an easy-to-clean, slip-resistant foam material, you won’t have to worry about sliding around on a dirty massage ball (especially if you bring it with you to the gym).

The size and firmness of this ball replicates the feeling of a massage therapist’s elbow massaging you. Plus, the ball has foam layers that have different densities, which help compress your muscles in just the right ways.