There’s nothing like squeezing or smooshing something when you’re stressed. A stress ball is just the answer! If you’ve ever seen a stress ball, you know what they are. If you haven’t, a stress ball is a round ball or object, usually smaller than a tennis ball that is used to diffuse tension. Many people who sit at a computer or desk all day use a stress ball to help prevent or relieve the symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
When the stress ball is squeezed, you create a certain amount of muscle tension in not only your hand, but also your body. When you relax your squeeze, that muscle tension is released, thereby providing a sense of relaxation. With repeated squeezing and some deep breathing, the effects on your body will surprise you. Squeezing a little harder each time you wrap your fingers around the ball will produce soothing effects to the muscles of the arm, and then the shoulder. This technique is called progressive muscular relaxation and can actually be felt in every major muscle group in your body if you concentrate and tighten muscles related to that muscle group. For example, you don’t need a stress ball to tighten the muscles...