Around the five-hour mark of my long-haul flight from London to San Francisco, everything hurts. My lower back is throbbing, my leg muscles are stiff, and I’ve exhausted every possible sitting position, none of which are comfortable enough for longer than a minute. Stuck in the window seat, with my neighbour fast asleep before the safety demo had finished, I bide my time before the inevitable ‘excuse me, can I just squeeze past?’.
But then I remember: along with my passport, noise-cancelling headphones and neck pillow, I packed something else. A tennis ball. Not your typical essential, but according to travel experts, it doubles as an effective in-flight massage tool. Frequent flyers swear by it, and it keeps popping up on TikTok again and again.
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At this point, my curiosity is piqued, and I’m in pain, so I decide to give it a go.
Trying the viral tennis ball travel hack
I’ve seen countless tips promising to make long-haul flights more bearable. There are compression socks, inflatable cushions and even lidocaine patches. But one suggestion kept cropping up, particularly on Reddit’s trusty r/TravelHacks: pack a tennis ball. It’s cheap (mine was left over from a short-lived tennis stint a couple of summers ago), weighs next to nothing, and, crucially, takes up barely any space. So, into the bag it went.
Long-haul flights are uncomfortable. If you’re lucky enough to get an aisle seat – or better yet, can afford to ‘turn left’ into business class – your best bet is to get up regularly and stretch. Physiatrist Ali Ganjei, MD, Medical Director of the Inova Spine Program, explains: ‘Staying stationary for prolonged periods of time stresses the spine and can make back pain much worse. See if there is room at the back of the plane to do some quick stretching, which can ease stiffness.’
But if you’re stuck in your seat (like me) or in need of extra relief, the tennis ball trick might be a winner.
Does it actually work?
According to Tracy Hannigan, a registered osteopath and qualified sleep therapist, the answer is yes. ‘A tennis ball is small and light and can help you apply soothing pressure to areas you might not otherwise be able to reach,’ she tells.
This works by applying pressure to tight muscles, helping boost blood flow and release tension – similar to a deep-tissue massage. She suggests placing the ball inside a hand towel and rolling it ‘like a sausage’ to stop it from slipping. I didn’t remember to pack a towel, so I improvised by placing the ball in a (clean!) sock.
I start by positioning the ball at the base of my spine, just above my tailbone – the epicentre of that dull ache that seems to appear the moment you start approaching your 30s. Leaning back into the seat, I apply gentle pressure and slowly shift my weight. Almost instantly, I feel relief. It’s subtle, but noticeable – the light but consistent pressure works wonders.
Next, I follow the experts’ advice and move to my upper back and shoulders, using my makeshift sock contraption to reach those trickier spots. Again, the tension starts to dissipate.
Finally – and this quickly becomes my favourite part – I place the ball on the floor and use it to massage the soles of my feet. It feels so good, I try not to audibly sigh with relief (I’m conscious that what I’m doing probably already looks a bit…unusual).
By now, my aisle seat neighbour is awake and watching with interest. I give her the rundown of what I’m doing. By the end of the flight, I’ve convinced her she needs to try it, too.
Final verdict on the tennis ball travel hack
The humble tennis ball has earned a permanent place in my carry-on. While it’s not a miracle cure – you still need to get up, stretch, and move around where possible, it’s an easy, effective way to ease stiffness and target those hard-to-reach aches mid-flight.
Considering it costs next to nothing and takes up barely any space, it’s really a no-brainer. It might look a bit odd, but then again, so does quietly wriggling around, trying not to cry from back pain.
