Bag of tennis balls

Tennis balls are great for massaging, but you can also use them to replace a foam roller for deep soreness.

We've covered how you can use a tennis ball during an airline flight to relieve sore muscles. That's just the beginning. Over at Prevention, they've got a list of all the different ways you can roll out your problems with one or two tennis balls. For example, if you have tight shoulders, like I do, they recommend:

Shoulder Shine-Up

Why It Helps: This move addresses some of the rotator cuff muscles that often tighten from overuse, poor posture, and repetitive motion.

How to do it:

Place a ball behind your shoulder blade while lying on the floor. Experiment with moving your shoulder in every possible direction for 3 minutes on each side. Your arm will look like seaweed floating in the water.

The balls won't replace a professional massage and won't work for serious pain. If you're tight during the day, though, these quick stretches may just do the trick.