The exercise ball, also called the stability ball, is a widely used type of fitness equipment. It can be incorporated into balance training programs, sport-specific routines, Pilates, yoga and weight training exercise. The exercise ball is also used in physical therapy for upper and lower back pain. In fact, its origins lie in rehabilitative exercise.
History
The origins of the exercise ball date back to the 1960s. The first large, colorful balls were manufactured by an Italian toy maker named Aquilino Cosani. European physical therapists soon discovered that these balls had benefits that extended beyond child's play. Mary Quinton, a physical therapist working in Switzerland, began using the balls as therapeutic treatment for newborns and infants. Dr. Susan Klein-Vogelbach, a Swiss physical therapist, began using them as physical therapy for adults with orthopedic problems. American physical therapist Joanne Posner-Mayer brought the balls to the United States in 1989.
Effects
The exercise ball enhances dynamic flexibility, which is flexibility in motion. This is important to the patient with back problems, whose movements may be limited due to frequent pain. The instability of the ball also poses a balance challenge. Frequent use improves balance and stability. This is crucial to the patient with back problems, since falling can exacerbate a back injury.
Prevention/Solution
The exercise ball may play an important role in the prevention of back pain. Since it imposes a balance challenge, it requires the patient to engage his or her deep core muscles, particularly the transverse abdominal muscle. An article in the Spring 2001 edition of the "Journal of Spine and Spinal Cord Surgery" presents an overview of the importance of this muscle in preventing lower back pain.
Pete Emerson, author of the article "The Evolution of Spinal Stability in the Physical Therapy Field," cites research performed at the University of Queensland, by Paul Hodges. Hodges and his team found that subjects without back problems will activate their transverse abdominal muscles a fraction of a second prior to lifting. This creates spinal stability, which prevents back problems.
Benefits
The ball can assist in the performance of static stretches, which may be difficult when attempted on the floor. For example, tight hip flexors often accompany a lower back problem. This makes it hard to sit on the floor in an upright position. Forward-flexing stretches become impossible, because the patient, rather than sitting upright, is sitting behind his or her "sits bones," which are the two prominent bones in the buttocks. The patient is seated too far back to even think of reaching for the toes, so the stretch is useless. The same stretch performed on the ball puts the patient on an optimal position for forward stretching.
Types
The ball can be used for a variety of movements to alleviate back pain. This may include sitting on the ball to encourage correct posture, or sitting on the ball while performing side to side hip movements and hip circles. Crunches can be performed on the ball to improve abdominal strength. A stronger abdominal area means that the lower back, which works in conjunction with the abdominals, does not have to work as hard. Back pain is therefore reduced.
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