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What are stress balls?
Stress balls are therapeutic tools for helping people manage stress through the physical act of squeezing, rolling, or tossing a ball.
Made of various materials, from foam to rubber to metal, these balls can assist people in diffusing emotions like anger or anxiety and may even be able to curb panic attacks.
Benefits of stress balls
It’s important to note that research doesn’t suggest that stress balls can reduce stress and anxiety.
However, according to experts we spoke to, stress balls may be a beneficial tool for easing stress because they alleviate the physical experience of intense emotions. As Michelle Hunt, a mental health counselor and therapist at Empower Your Mind Therapy, explains, stress is not only an emotional and mental reaction, it is also a physical experience.
“As stress builds in our bodies, it needs a way to be released in order to not perpetuate our emotional and mental state,” Hunt says. “Stress balls give a point of release for stress. They help calm the nervous system and assist with processing.”
More often than not, she adds, the physical release created by stress balls can actually decrease physical sensations of stress, and other powerful emotions.
How does this work exactly? According to Vianey Reinhardt, a licensed professional counselor at Connections Wellness Group, the repetition of squeezing and releasing the stress ball creates the overall effect of stress or tension reduction.
“A user can hold the stress ball in their hand and squeeze the ball for up to 5 seconds and then release,” Reinhardt says. “This process can be repeated several times until the user experiences a reduction in tension.”
Another benefit to stress balls, both Hunt and Reinhardt note, is that these therapy tools are both discreet and socially accepted. People can use them without feeling self-conscious in public and even keep them handy on their work desks without worrying about other people seeing them.
What to look for
Stress balls can be made from a number of materials like foam, fabric, pliable plastic or latex, rubber or even metal. When choosing a stress ball, it’s important to consider the durability of a product’s materials and read reviews to make sure the ball you’re considering is durable, especially if it’s the kind filled with water or foam. (These are more susceptible to pops or punctures, particularly if they’re used by children.)
Another consideration is size and strength. Stress balls come in various sizes and different levels of soft or hardness. Being able to test out a few balls can help you choose the right one for you.
What’s most important, Hunt says, is that you select something that speaks to you in some way, whether it’s the squishability of the ball itself or its shape or color.
“Stress balls come in different styles,” she says. “So, having an item that’s more tailored to your preferences can help with feeling a sense of control in how you express your distress.”
How we chose
We looked at a number of different products to determine which ones to recommend and include.
We evaluated various products based on the following criteria:
- value for the price point
- positive customer reviews
- aesthetic
- size and strength of each product
We also considered different styles and materials of stress balls to provide a breadth of useful options.
Pricing guide
- $ = under $10
- $$ = $10–$15
- $$$ = $15–20
- $$$$ = over $20
Frequently asked questions
Is there research on stress balls?
Clinical studies haven’t found evidence to support the idea that stress balls reduce stress and anxiety.
However, many people find these products help them focus, calm, or distract themselves, as part of a useful tool in their overall stress management.
Do stress balls work for anxiety?
While Hunt says that stress balls can be great tools to use in the moment to help ease the physical discomfort of anxiety, they won’t solve the cause of that stress.
“It is important to explore the triggers for stress and utilize different coping skills in order to decrease the intensity of symptoms over time,” she explains. “Stress balls alone are not effective in processing where the stress is coming from and understanding the root of the stress response.”
Do stress balls work for anger?
According to Reinhardt, stress balls can help manage symptoms of frustration, stress, or anger. However, she adds that it’s important to monitor the benefits of using a stress ball in reducing these emotions.
“If it appears that the act of using a stress ball provides minimal or no benefit at all, it would be appropriate to seek additional coping mechanisms or seek the help of a mental health professional who can provide guidance and tools for managing challenging emotions,” she says.
Do stress balls help with panic attacks?
While clinical studies haven’t found evidence to support the use of stress balls to prevent panic attacks, Reinhardt says that they can be excellent tools for diverting the brain when someone feels a panic attack coming on.
“Distracting the brain from focusing on the stimulus for that fear and refocusing on a specific task, such as squeezing a stress ball, allows for an interruption of the fear response and gives the brain a chance to settle into a less escalated state,” she says.
To increase strength and dexterity in your hands after stroke, hand therapy ball exercises are a great, affordable option.
Hand exercise balls are simple and extremely versatile, which makes it easy to practice a wide range of effective exercises to strengthen the hands.
This article will share 8 hand therapy ball exercises to improve fine motor skills after stroke.
Effective Hand Therapy Ball Exercises
The most effective way to promote hand recovery after stroke is through high-repetition practice. Consistently practicing these 8 hand therapy ball exercises will help stimulate the brain and promote its ability to rewire itself (neuroplasticity).
Start with a set of 10 repetitions of each exercise, then build up your strength to aim for 2-3 sets of 10. As long as these exercises do not cause you pain, you can even try to do them a few times a day!
1. Power Grip
This hand therapy ball exercise will help strengthen your grip so that it is easier to grab objects, pick them up, and release them. Grasping the ball will target the flexor muscles to improve strength for picking objects up. It will also be important to practice releasing the ball, which will target the extensor muscles that allow you to let items go from your hand. This exercise also helps relieve joint pain, stress, and anxiety.
Squeeze the therapy ball with your fingers and thumb, as if making a fist. Squeeze, then release the ball completely, opening your fingers as wide as you can.
2. Pinch
For this exercise, pinch the hand therapy ball with your fingers and thumb extended. And by extended, we mean keep all your fingers straight. This will help strengthen different muscles than the ones targeted by curled fingers.
To make this hand therapy ball exercise more challenging, pinch the ball for a greater amount of time.
3. Thumb Flexion & Extension
The thumb plays an essential role in various hand functions including pinching and grasping, so it’s essential to strengthen its muscles to improve control.
With your palm flat (as flat as you can), place the therapy ball on your palm and use your thumb to keep it in place.
Then, use your thumb to roll the ball up and down your palm. This movement really isolates your thumb.
4. Table Roll
Place the hand therapy ball on a table and place your hand on top of it.
Then, while keeping a flat hand, roll the ball from the base of your palm up to your fingertips.
Placing too much or not enough pressure will make the ball difficult to maneuver. Therefore, this hand therapy ball exercise will help individuals practice adjusting and sustaining a certain amount of pressure on the ball.
5. Finger Flexion
Unlike the Power Grip exercise, you won’t be using your thumb in this hand therapy ball exercise.
Instead, hold the therapy ball in your palm and press into it using all your fingers except your thumb. Press and release.
Notice how much more challenging it is to squeeze the ball without using your thumb. This will help strengthen the muscles that allow you to bend your fingers.
6. Thumb Roll
This hand therapy exercise isolates your thumb and encourages you to move it through its entire range of motion. As a result, it will help prevent stiffness and improve control.
Place the therapy ball on your palm. Keep your palm as flat as you can and use your thumb to keep it in place. Then, use your thumb to roll the ball in a circle on your palm.
7. Finger Squeeze
This hand therapy ball exercise will help individuals strengthen their finger adduction muscles. These are the muscles that allow you to bring the fingers together, which play a key role in grasping objects.
Place the therapy ball between two fingers and squeeze your fingers together. Squeeze and release. You can do this between any combinations of fingers, so be sure to exercise all your fingers!
Some fingers will be more difficult than others (like your ring and pinky finger), so be sure not to neglect them.
8. Thumb Opposition
This therapy ball exercise is similar to the Thumb Roll, but you will be rolling the ball side-to-side instead of in circles.
Start by placing the therapy ball on your palm and use your thumb to keep it in place. Then, use your thumb to move the ball from left to right.
Benefits of Hand Therapy Ball Exercises
It’s important to cater your hand therapy exercises to suit your recovery goals.
For example, some people may need these exercises to strengthen their hands, especially those that enjoy handiwork. If that’s you, then focus on using therapy balls with more resistance so that you can build strength in your hands and fingers.
Other people might use these exercises to regain mobility in their hands, including stroke survivors.
When neurological injury is involved, the focus should not be placed solely on trying to increase resistance. Instead, the focus should be placed on repetition, which provides the brain with the stimulation it needs to rewire itself.
Cater your hand therapy exercise regimen to suit your goals. You may even like adding some therapy putty exercises too! Happy exercising!
