Types

• Look for stress balls that fit your needs and personality. Stress balls come in many different types of materials and structures, including those that contain peppermint, lavender or grapefruit aromas that emit soothing scents as you squeeze them, called aRoma balls. Other stress balls look like miniature basketballs, baseballs or pool balls. Some look like faces, others like animals or sci-fi creatures. Regardless of what they look like, they can be squishy or firm, textured or smooth, funny or plain.
  
  

Structure

• Choose a stress ball that feels good in your hand, whether big or small, strong or weak. Foam-filled stress balls are gentle on arthritic hands, but gel-filled stress balls will provide plenty of resistance to those with stronger hands. Some stress balls are filled with substances that make them bounce, like a superball. Roughly around two to three inches in diameter, stress balls are designed to be held in one hand and squeezed or manipulated by the fingers as a simple and inexpensive way to relieve and release tension through progressive muscle relaxation. The stress ball offers a focal point for this isometric tensing of muscles that reaches beyond the hand and into the arm, shoulders and neck, providing relief.
  
  

Homemade Stress Ball

• Make your own stress ball using inexpensive materials such as a balloon, small baby sock or the toe portion of an old stocking. Using the balloon as an example, inflate the balloon until it's about four inches around. Holding the balloon closed about an inch or two below the opening, place a funnel into the tip of the balloon. Hold the funnel in place and then pour cornstarch into the funnel, filling the balloon. Add cornstarch until the balloon is about three inches in diameter and then tie off the balloon as close to the cornstarch filling as you can.
  
  You can also make a stress ball using a small sock or toe area of a nylon stocking and fill with dough (mix 1/2 cup salt, 1 cup flour, 1 tsp. oil, 1 tsp. cream of tarter with 1 cup water and blend). Fill the material (you can also use a balloon) you're using for the stress ball, and then tie off or fasten.