Product Review: Exercise Ball

Author: Vanessa

What is an exercise ball?

A piece of equipment you can purchase at Preston Physiotherapy which can aid in your physiotherapy rehabilitation. They are large inflatable air-filled spheres made of a soft and pliable polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and can be used while exercising in sitting, standing and lying positions. Various sizes are available, with diameters varying from 45cm to 85cm, to accommodate varying heights. An exercise ball can be used to help you perform low impact exercise at home.

What are the benefits?

  • Improving Core Strength and Balance: the unstable surface of the exercise ball encourages your body to engage your core and stabilizing muscles so you can maintain and train your balance. This muscle activation also helps to improve your proprioception your ability to understand and become aware of your body’s position and movement in space).

  • Improving your Posture: Actively sitting on the ball to perform your exercises forces you to maintain a correct sitting position. This involves keeping your hips and knees at a 90 degree angle. Sitting in this position will help improve your posture over time.

  • Burning more calories: Actively sitting on an exercise ball means that your core and stabilising muscles are on and working more to keep you stable. This also means that you are burning more calories than you would sitting in an office chair.

  • Increasing your flexibility: an exercise ball can assist you in performing stretches therefore helping you increase your range of motion in your joints while improving your muscle flexibility.

Speak to one of our reception staff and physiotherapists today if you are interested. They will ensure that they pick the right size for you as well as checking your exercises to make sure that you have the correct form and posture while performing them.

Rachel Neate