A stress ball is a small ball designed to help relieve stress by exercising the muscles in your hand. In reality, this type of device does not necessarily have to be in the shape of a ball, and a wide variety of shapes can be found on the market. The main defining characteristic is that it can easily fit in one hand, and it is malleable, allowing the user to deform it while providing some resistance to force the muscles of the hand to work.
Stress balls are supposed to be very helpful in relieving mental stress as they give people a tool with which they can deal with physical aggression and stress. Squeezing one while imagining reduced stress is a frequently recommended stress management tool for people in demanding jobs, and they're often given away at conferences and other corporate events as promotional tools, reflecting their widespread use.
In addition to being helpful for emotional tension, a stress ball can be helpful for physical tension. Physical therapists use a very similar tool to help people flex and stretch the muscles in their hands. Squeezing a stress ball can reduce the amount of stress associated with repetitive tasks like typing, and can also help build hand strength. For people who have experienced strokes and other neurological problems, these balls can also be used as part of a physical therapy plan to help the patient regain mobility in their hands and fingers.
A variety of things can be used to fill a stress ball. The idea is that the filling should be firm, with a slight slope, forcing people to work to deform the ball. Foam is a common choice, as is gel, or a powder included in a latex packet. You can even make your own basic stress ball by filling a balloon with cornstarch. Beans and plastic pellets can also be used, although these fillers are less soft.
Using a stress ball requires no particular instructions or skills: all you need to do is pick up the ball and squeeze it. Repeated use of such a ball can, of course, cause the same problems that other repetitive movements are associated with, but taking breaks from typing and other repetitive tasks to squeeze a stress ball multiple times can be beneficial. For people who are stressed or have anger management issues, this object can be a great focusing tool.