The truth is that not all disabled people need hand exercise balls. A man with paralyzed legs who runs wheelchair marathons and paints doesn't need extra development for his hands. Neither does an autistic woman with perfect motor control. Other injuries and conditions, however, can benefit from working with hand exercise balls because these fitness tools address specific symptoms of the disability.
Hand Exercise Ball Basics
The most common hand exercise ball is a soft gel-filled ball made of rubber or latex. You can hold the ball in your hand and squeeze with the hand as a whole, or with one or more fingers in isolation. You can also find traditional Chinese baoding balls, which are hard and more useful for building dexterity rather than strength. Hand exercise balls tend to be durable, light and inexpensive.
Hand Strength
Injured hands tend to lose muscle strength, and disabled hands can lose strength through atrophy. The act of squeezing a hand exercise ball provides resistance to the muscles in the hand and forearm, helping to build or rebuild strength in that area. Because they are light, and often soft, hand exercise balls have an additional advantage in that they won't damage people or floors if dropped. Depending on the nature and severity of what a disabled individual is dealing with, strength exercises may focus on rebuilding lost strength, or simply slowing or stopping muscle atrophy.
Dexterity
In some cases, strength is not the problem from a disability so much as motor control in the arm. To improve this situation, a person needs to practice fine motor activities. Squeezing and manipulating a hand exercise ball is one way to do this -- and physical therapists know dozens of techniques for focusing on specific motions with this tool. In some cases, dexterity training is about re-teaching muscles to respond to fine commands. In others, it's about rebuilding hand-eye coordination and neural response.
Concentration
For people with mental disabilities, a hand exercise ball routine can help to build concentration and focus. Unlike some other tools, hand exercise balls can demand complex manipulation that requires the full attention of a patient. Daily practice at and success with these exercises can help a person to build concentration he can apply to other daily tasks or routines.
Stress
Some disabilities make it challenging for a person to handle stress, anxiety, fear or anger. In these cases, a hand exercise ball fulfills the same need it does for the CEO who keeps one in his desk. For many people, the act of squeezing or manipulating a hand exercise ball is inherently stress-reducing. Like other forms of meditation, it focuses the mind while simultaneously soothing away negative stressors. For those with personality-affecting disabilities, a hand exercise ball can be a valuable tool for maintaining appropriate states of mind.
References
- HandExerciseBalls.com: Hand Exercise Balls for Healthy Hands
- "The Sports Injury Handbook"; Christer Rolf; 2010
- "Occupational Therapy Principles and Practice"; Punwar & Peloquin; 2000
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