How To Use Lacrosse Ball Massage For Full-Body Recovery, From Experts

Everybody loves a good massage, especially when your muscles are tight and tension-ridden—from stress or exercise. The good news is, you don't need any fancy equipment to give yourself the gift of massage right in your own home. Here's how to use a simple lacrosse ball to work out different muscles in the body, according to experts.

And while it certainly can feel good to target one pesky area (like that super-tight upper back), Tatta advises to "work down their entire spine, because your entire spine moves together, so working on one part isn't the best."

McCullough and Tatta both note that a double lacrosse ball, also sometimes called a peanut, is great for the neck. (You can purchase peanuts, but Tatta notes you can also tape two lacrosse balls together.) Simply lie down on the floor and place the peanut at the base of your skull, where the soft tissue is. Hold for 30 seconds to a minute, with the option to move back and forth over the ball.

McCullough adds that you can also target the subscapularis muscle, which is underneath the armpit, by lying on your side and placing the ball directly underneath the armpit, and working there.

A lot of people deal with back pain that stems from a tightened psoas, so McCullough recommends lying on your stomach with your ball (he notes a softball might be better here) just outside of your belly button on either side. "The psoas connects all the way up, and this is a great low-back release," he adds. Hold there, moving around back and forth gently, if it feels OK. (You can find more psoas stretches here.)

Tatta tells mbg that a lot of people have stiff hips because they need to work on their rotators. You can target them under the gluteal muscles, working the upper, mid, and lower glutes area. He explains that you can do this either lying on your back or sitting on your lacrosse ball. Place the ball under the different gluteal muscles, taking some time to hold in different areas.

To massage your pectoral muscles, including both the pec major and pec minor, Tatta suggests following your clavicle about two-thirds of the way out and slightly down. Lie down with the lacrosse ball directly on that spot and spread your arms out, then hold for 30 seconds to a minute.

If you've ever done a figure-4 stretch (crossing one ankle over the top of the opposite thigh), you can incorporate a lacrosse ball for a deep release, according to McCullough. Lie back with the right gluteus medius on the lacrosse ball (where the top of the buttocks meets the hip), and cross the right ankle over the left thigh. "Lean into that the leg that's crossed, and that will help to release a lot of low-back pain," he adds.

And lastly, our feet put in a lot of work for us, so they deserve some relief, too. It couldn't be easier to massage out your feet with a lacrosse ball—simply roll your foot on top of it. Tatta does note, however, that feet can be really tender, so he recommends people start doing this seated so you can modify how much weight you place on it. "And from there you can move to a standing position," he adds.

Recruiting a lacrosse ball for massaging different parts of the body is a convenient and effective way to relieve tightness and stiffness, plus offer the body and nervous system some relaxation. While it's certainly not a cure-all and should be paired with other beneficial practices and treatments, it is an accessible and easy massage method.