For lacrosse ball massage, one lacrosse ball is hard, cheap and easy to find, and it works well on one spot at a time. A massage ball set gives you several sizes and shapes, so you can match the ball to the body area: a big ball for glutes, a small ball for arches, a peanut ball for along the spine.
This guide is for anyone choosing between lacrosse ball self massage and a massage ball set. A massage ball is not a medical device. If you have an injury, a health condition, or a spot that worries you, ask your doctor before you start. One honest note up front: the Fitballz Massage Ball Set has no lacrosse ball and no tennis ball in it.
Key takeaways - A lacrosse ball is solid, firm, low cost and easy to buy. - One lacrosse ball means one size and one round shape for every body area. - A set like Fitballz gives you a large, medium and small ball, a peanut ball and two spiky balls. - Whatever you use, press to "comfortably uncomfortable (not painful)," keep breathing, and stay off bone.
In this guide - What a lacrosse ball does well - Where a massage ball set is different - Side by side table - Where a tennis ball fits - When to pick which - Mistakes to avoid - FAQ
What a lacrosse ball does well {#what-a-lacrosse-ball-does-well}
Give the lacrosse ball its due.
It is firm. Lacrosse balls are made to a standard from NOCSAE, the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment. That standard says the ball must be "solid," with no intentional air space inside. It also says it takes 110 to 150 pounds of force to squash a new ball by a quarter of its width. That is why a lacrosse ball feels so firm when you lean into it. These numbers apply to balls made to the standard, which carry the NOCSAE seal on the package.
It is compact. The standard sets the circumference at 7.75 to 8 inches, about 2.5 inches across, and the weight at 5 to 5.25 ounces. A University of Winnipeg self release handout uses a lacrosse ball between the wall and the upper trapezius, the muscle at the top of the shoulder.
It is cheap. On October 19, 2026, two US online stores listed a single lacrosse ball at $3.00 and $9.99.
It is easy to find. Sporting goods stores sell them one at a time, so a spare in the gym bag is easy.
It is simple. One ball, nothing to set up, nothing to learn.
Where a massage ball set is different {#where-a-set-is-different}
The limit of a lacrosse ball comes from the same thing that makes it handy: it is one ball. One size, one round shape and one feel, for every part of your body.
A set spreads the job across several balls. Here is what is in the Fitballz Massage Ball Set, and where each ball is meant to go.
| Ball | Where to use it |
|---|---|
| Large ball | Glutes, hamstrings, upper back |
| Medium ball | Shoulders, chest, between the shoulder blades |
| Small ball | Pinpoint spots: arches, forearms, hands |
| Peanut ball | Two balls joined; your spine rests in the groove |
| Green spiky ball | Soles, palms, calves |
| Blue spiky ball | Soles, palms, calves |
Three differences matter most.
Size per area. The glutes and the arch of the foot are very different jobs. With one lacrosse ball, you use the same 2.5 inch ball for both, so your foot massage lacrosse ball is also your glute ball. With a set, you use the large ball for glutes and hamstrings and the small ball for arches, forearms and hands.
The spine. The University of Winnipeg handout tells you to stay "off all bony structures." With one round ball, you have to keep it beside your spine yourself. The peanut ball is two balls joined, and your spine rests in the groove between them.
Texture. Under its standard, a lacrosse ball is smooth or only slightly textured, with no seams. The set has two spiky balls for the soles of the feet, the palms and the calves.
What a set does not change: you still control the pressure with your own body weight.
Lacrosse ball massage vs a massage ball set: side by side {#side-by-side}
| Single lacrosse ball | Fitballz Massage Ball Set | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of balls | 1 | 6 |
| Sizes and shapes | One round ball, about 2.5 in across | Large, medium and small balls, a peanut ball, 2 spiky balls |
| Firmness | Solid; 110 to 150 lb to squash a new ball by a quarter | Hardness numbers are not published on the product page |
| Surface | Smooth or slightly textured, no seams | Includes 2 spiky balls |
| Along the spine | You keep it beside the spine yourself | Peanut ball: the spine rests in the groove |
| Price | $3.00 to $9.99 for one ball (2 US online stores, Oct 19, 2026) | $29.99 for all 6 balls |
| Shipping and packaging | Depends on the store | Free shipping to the US and Canada, 1 to 5 business days; gift box and drawstring bag |
| Includes a lacrosse ball | Yes, it is one | No |
Where a tennis ball fits {#tennis-ball}
People also ask about tennis ball massage, so here is the short version. Under the Rules of Tennis from the International Tennis Federation (ITF), a standard ball has a fabric cover and weighs 56.0 to 59.4 grams, about 2 ounces. That is less than half the weight of a lacrosse ball. The same rules refer to the ball's internal pressure, so a tennis ball has air inside, while a lacrosse ball is solid. The University of Winnipeg handout lists "tennis ball, lacrosse ball, spikey ball, etc." as options for the same chest exercise. If you have used a tennis ball for muscle knots and want something firmer, the lacrosse ball is the firmer of the two. The Fitballz set does not include a tennis ball either.
When to pick which {#when-to-pick-which}
Pick a single lacrosse ball if: - You want one hard ball for muscle release on a spot you already know. - Price matters most. - You want a spare for a gym bag, a desk drawer or a suitcase.
Pick a massage ball set if: - You want different sizes for big areas and small areas. - You want a peanut shape, so your spine rests in a groove. - You want spiky balls for your feet, palms and calves. - More than one person at home will use it, or you want a gift; the Fitballz set comes in a gift box with a drawstring bag.
Or keep both. A lacrosse ball in the gym bag and the Fitballz set at home cover different places.
Mistakes to avoid {#mistakes-to-avoid}
Starting on the floor. Start against a wall, like most of the handout's ball exercises, so you control how hard you lean.
Rolling a hard ball straight over bone. Stay "off all bony structures," as the handout says. Along the spine, keep a round ball to the side, or use the peanut ball so the spine rests in the groove.
Pressing as hard as you can. More pressure is not the goal. Aim for "comfortably uncomfortable (not painful)," and keep breathing.
Staying on a spot that pulses, throbs, goes numb or tingles. The Brookbush Institute puts it plainly: "If it pulses, throbs, numbs, or tingles find a new spot."
Rolling forever. The handout gives 5 to 8 slow rolls, or 20 to 60 seconds on one area.
Skipping the doctor. The Brookbush Institute lists situations where this kind of pressure may not be right, including peripheral vascular disease, neuropathy and open wounds. If you have an injury or a health condition, ask your doctor first.
FAQ {#faq}
Is lacrosse ball massage too hard for beginners?
It depends on the person. A lacrosse ball is solid by its standard, so it feels firm. Start against a wall, where you control the pressure, and stop at "comfortably uncomfortable (not painful)." If you have an injury or a health condition, ask your doctor first.
Lacrosse ball vs massage ball: which should I buy first?
If you want one firm ball and price matters most, start with a lacrosse ball. If you want different sizes, a peanut shape for along the spine and spiky balls for your feet, a set covers more in one box.
Is a tennis ball for muscle knots better than a lacrosse ball?
Neither is better for everyone. A tennis ball has a fabric cover, has air inside and weighs about 2 ounces. A lacrosse ball is solid and weighs 5 to 5.25 ounces. If a lacrosse ball for muscle knots feels like too much on a spot, the lighter tennis ball is a different feel to try.
Is the Fitballz peanut ball a peanut lacrosse ball?
No. The Fitballz peanut ball is two balls joined, and your spine rests in the groove between them. It is not a lacrosse ball, and the set has no lacrosse ball.
Lacrosse ball plantar fasciitis: can I roll my foot on one?
Plantar fasciitis is a medical condition, so ask your doctor before you roll your foot on any ball. This guide covers self massage only. For general foot self massage, the Fitballz set has a small ball for the arches and two spiky balls for the soles.
The bottom line
A lacrosse ball is a good, cheap, firm ball, and for one spot it is hard to beat on price. A massage ball set is for when you want the ball to fit the body area: three sizes, a peanut ball for along the spine, and spiky balls for feet, palms and calves. The Fitballz Massage Ball Set is $29.99 for all six balls, with free shipping to the US and Canada in 1 to 5 business days. It does not include a lacrosse ball, so if you want both, keep a lacrosse ball in your gym bag and the set at home.
Related guides
- How to use a trigger point massage ball for myofascial release
- How to use a massage ball for feet and plantar fasciitis
- How to use a massage ball for back muscles, including the peanut ball
- How to use a spiky massage ball
- How to use a massage ball: sizes, body areas and safety
- How to use a massage ball for neck, traps and shoulders
- How to use a massage ball for glutes, hips, hamstrings and calves
Sources
- NOCSAE, "Standard Performance Specification for Newly Manufactured Lacrosse Balls," NOCSAE DOC (ND) 049-19, effective March 2020: solid elastomeric ball with no intentional air space (6.1, 6.1.1), weight 5.0 to 5.25 oz (6.2), circumference 7.75 to 8.0 in (6.3), compression load at 25% displacement 130 ± 20 lbs (6.4, method 5.3.4.1), NOCSAE seal on the packaging (7.1). https://nocsae.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/ND049-19.pdf . Fetched 2026-10-19. The 2.5 inch width is worked out from the circumference (7.75 / 3.1416 = 2.47 in, 8.0 / 3.1416 = 2.55 in).
- International Tennis Federation, "ITF Rules of Tennis 2026," Appendix I "The Ball," page 19: fabric cover (a), Type 2 mass 56.0 to 59.4 grams (1.975 to 2.095 oz), note 1 on internal pressure. https://www.itftennis.com/media/7221/2026-rules-of-tennis-english.pdf . Fetched 2026-10-19.
- University of Winnipeg, upper body self release handout (Physiotec), prepared April 14, 2020: "Upper trap release with ball" (lacrosse ball, "Avoid all bony structures"), "Myofascial release: pectorals" ("tennis ball, lacrosse ball, spikey ball, etc.", "comfortably uncomfortable (not painful)", "staying off all bony structures", "continue to breath throughout"), "Reps: 5-8 Rolls ... OR 20-60 sec". https://www.uwinnipeg.ca/athletic-therapy-centre/docs/upper-body-rom-self-release.pdf . Fetched 2026-10-19.
- Brookbush Institute, "Guidelines for Self-Administered Release Techniques," published June 6, 2023, updated August 6, 2024. https://brookbushinstitute.com/articles/guidelines-for-self-administered-release-techniques . Fetched 2026-10-19.
- Sports Basement, "NOCSAE Lacrosse Ball," white, one size, $3.00. https://shop.sportsbasement.com/products/nocsae-lacrosse-ball-white . Store product data fetched 2026-10-19 15:32 UTC.
- Peak Primal Wellness, white NOCSAE lacrosse ball, "1 Ball" option $9.99. https://peakprimalwellness.com/products/gladiator-lacrosse%C2%AE-lacrosse-balls-white-1-ball . Store product data fetched 2026-10-19 15:32 UTC.
- Fitballz Massage Ball Set product facts (balls, uses, price, shipping, packaging): https://www.fitballz.com/products/fitballz-massage-ball-six-pack-kit , live page read 2026-10-19.