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Why it’s essential to pack a tennis ball in your carry-on luggage
If you’re heading off on holiday soon, you might already have your passport, chargers, and mini toiletries on your packing list. But there’s one final addition you don’t want to forget: a tennis ball.
No, not so you can ward off boredom by playing a game of catch with your aisle mates – it’s actually all to do with avoiding stiffness or aches while in the air. And it certainly won’t take up too much space in your bag, either.
It can also be used to enhance circulation, intended to be used by gently applying pressure and rolling it up and down the thighs, legs, or even shoulders, according to health experts.
Registered osteopath and qualified sleep therapist Tracy Hannigan previously debunked a few viral travel tips as part of a partnership with travel insurance specialist InsureandGo – and recommended using a tennis ball in tandem with another teeny piece of paraphernalia.
She explained: ‘A great tip is to find a hand towel, put the ball in the middle of it and roll it like a sausage.
‘When you then apply pressure using the ball, it’s easier to position and will prevent it from skidding out of position, which can be painful.
‘A tennis ball is small and light and can help you to apply soothing pressure to points you might otherwise not be able to reach.’
She also recommended stretching regularly to help with stiffness, noting that the side of the neck can be extended by ‘turning the chin towards the armpit and gently applying pressure to stretch the opposite side of the neck.’
‘You can even stretch your lower back in your plane seat, by crossing your legs and leaning forward, as if you’re trying to reach down to the crossed-over foot with your elbow,’ she added.
In a bid to enjoy a slightly comfier long-haul flight, travel aficionados have also got on board with this hack. Posting over in the r/TravelHacks Subreddit, @tmckhar swears by it.
They penned: ‘Place it at the base of your spine near your tailbone. I do this when driving long period, and it helps with back pain.’
@CrapSandwich added: ‘I have a slipped disc in my lower back that tends to go out on long flights. The tennis ball between the seatback and my lower back really helps.’
This isn’t the first slightly left-field piece of travel advice we’ve seen over the years.
Esther Sturrus, who works for Dutch airline KLM and shares TikToks about her journeys, previously recommended always throwing a water bottle under the bed when you get into a hotel room.
Although unlikely, tourists can be targeted by thieves or intruders, with some travellers choosing to be vigilant in certain countries or in rooms on lower floors.
According to Esther, her hack lets you ‘check that no one is under the bed without looking’, easing your mind if you’re wary.
She advised rolling the bottle under the bed, adding in her video that it ‘has to come out on the other side’. If it doesn’t, you may want to exercise caution.
Metro puts the ‘tennis ball’ tip to the test
Metro‘s Maria Astardjieva recently flew long-haul from London to San Francisco – and packed a tennis ball in her carry-on luggage to see if it would help with mid-flight aches and pains.
She says of her experience: ‘I’ve seen countless tips promising to make long-haul flights more bearable. But one suggestion kept cropping up: pack a tennis ball.
‘It’s cheap, weighs next to nothing, and, crucially, takes up barely any space.
‘I started 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 applied gentle pressure and slowly shifted my weight. Almost instantly, I felt relief…’
This article was last published on April 24, 2026.
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