A balance board, also referred to as a "wobble board" is a wooden disc with a half sphere attached to the bottom in the center. The balance board is used as an exercise apparatus, and the idea is you stand on it with your feet near the edges so you have to balance on the sphere. Balance boards are used for various purposes through several different movements.
Proprioception
Proprioception is a term that refers to your awareness and sense of your body position. You have tiny sensors in your body that relay information to your brain about joint position and pressure and the stretch in your muscles. Once the signals are sent, your brain reacts by changing the position of your body accordingly. Proprioceptors in your body work by correcting your position before an injury occurs. An example is if you turn on your ankle but it corrects itself before an injury takes place. Sometimes, proprioceptors do not function as well after an injury, and balancing on a balance board helps to keep you sharp.
Improve Balance
Spending time on a balance board is a good way to improve balance for sports such as surfing, snowboarding or skateboarding. Stand with both feet on the board and rotate in a small circle, trying not to allow the edge to touch the floor for as long as possible.
Increase Leg Strength
The instability of a balance board makes for an effective leg workout, especially when you target the legs specifically. To perform squats on a balance board, stand with your feet on either side of the board with your hands on your hips, or out at your sides if you need help for balance. Slowly squat down with your back straight and butt slightly out, careful not to let the sides of the board touch the floor. Push back up to the starting position and repeat.
Strengthen Stabilizers
Similar to a stability ball, a balance board requires the use of many stabilizing muscles for you to stay up. Muscles in your core, arms and back all come into play as you move around on the board. Strengthening stabilizer muscles may help improve your sports performance.
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