The 10 Best Massage Balls
This wiki has been updated 38 times since it was first published in September of 2015. Regardless of whether you're an athlete hoping to boost recovery times or just trying to relieve persistent aches and pains, these massage balls can help get you back in tip-top shape. They're great for targeting knots and trigger points, and they're small enough for relief on the go. If you have serious injuries, though, they are no substitute for a trained professional. When users buy our independently chosen editorial recommendations, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
Editor's Notes
July 28, 2019:
It's important to realize that, while massage balls are excellent for pinpoint relief, if you want to target a larger surface area a foam roller is likely a better option. There are some larger options that can cover quite a bit of ground here, though, including the Pro-Tec Athletics Orb.
Perhaps the biggest choice you'll need to make is the decision between a smooth ball and a jagged one. Options with bumps or spikes can dig in deeper in very specific places, but the sensation might be too intense for some users. Of course, there are also options like the one listed here from Invincible Fitness, which includes multiple iterations of each.
The Epitomie Fitness Muscle Max is slightly different, in that it uses grooves cut into the surface to penetrate your muscles. This keeps things fresh, but may take some getting used to, and some users may prefer a more raised surface for targeted relief.
Special Honors
Hyperice Hypersphere If just rolling around on a static surface doesn't do much for you anymore, this model has three vibration settings to take your massage to the next level. The rechargeable lithium-ion battery lasts about two hours every time it's juiced up, giving you quite the lengthy therapy session indeed. roguefitness.com
Recoup Cryosphere Toss this ball in the freezer, and when you take it out it can provide you with up to six hours of cooling relief. It's fantastic for fighting inflammation as well as garden-variety aches and pains. recoupfitness.com
Sidekick Capsule Pro This fancy little unit has a pressure wave mode to give you a variety of vibrations, keeping your muscles guessing and speeding up your recovery time. The silicone exterior keeps things from getting too painful. sidekicktool.com