A yoga ball (also known as an exercise or Swiss ball) is a useful tool for strengthening core muscles and encouraging healthy posture. A physical therapist can help you choose the right size for your body and perform exercises safely.
Stability balls are a common feature in gyms, classes and rehabilitation centers. They’re also often used for office work as a way to increase NEAT activity while sitting and encourage better balance and stability.
Choosing the Right Size
Whether used as an office chair or to enhance stability exercises, a yoga ball is a highly effective workout tool. Its instability challenges the core muscles and helps develop balance, thereby enhancing flexibility and endurance.
Choosing the right exercise ball size is important for safety and effectiveness. Using a yoga exercise ball that is too small can cause strain and injury, while one that is too large decreases the challenge of core stability exercises.
Generally, a yoga ball is inflated to the point that when you sit on it, your hips and knees are at a 90-degree angle with the floor. However, it is essential to avoid overinflating the yoga ball because doing so increases the risk of a dangerous burst and may also make it difficult to balance on the ball for long periods of time. Fortunately, most exercise balls are sold with a pump for inflation and come in a range of diameters.
Inflation
Inflating the yoga ball properly is important to ensure safe and effective use. Over-inflating can cause the yoga ball to become unstable and increase the risk of bursting, while under-inflation may diminish the effectiveness of exercises.
To inflate a yoga ball, attach the pump’s nozzle to the valve stem and start pumping slowly. Ensure that the nozzle is securely sealed to prevent air leakage. When done, the ball should be inflated to a height that is slightly below your hips when seated on it.
Some exercise balls lose air pressure over time as the plastic degrades, and you may need to inflate it again. Checking the air level regularly can help you avoid over- or under-inflating the ball, ensuring optimal results and safety. For the best results, you should aim to inflate the ball until it feels firm but has a little give. This will provide the most support while still allowing you to move comfortably during exercises.
Exercises
A yoga ball adds a challenge to many workout exercises by forcing the stabilising muscles to work harder to maintain balance. This helps to improve core strength, stability and endurance and also enhances performance in sports or everyday activities.
Bouncing on a yoga ball is one way to use the ball and will help strengthen your core while burning calories. However, it is important to remember that bouncing on a fitness ball will not provide you with the same level of calorie burn that other exercises such as running or weight training do.
While it is rare, exercise balls can burst if exposed to excessive weight or rough surfaces or are over-inflated. To prevent this, make sure you are using the correct size ball for your body type, use the correct inflation technique and avoid placing the yoga ball near sharp objects or excessive weight. If your yoga ball does start to pop, find the air valve and gently lean on it until the air is released. Then, you can carefully remove the valve plug and allow all of the air to be released completely.
Safety
Yoga balls, also known as stability balls or exercise balls, are safe to use when a person follows proper safety guidelines. The key is to choose the right size and properly inflate the ball so it’s firm with a bit of give when seated on it. It’s important to avoid overinflating as this can lead to a higher risk of burst, which could compromise safety and diminish the effectiveness of exercises on the ball.
In addition, it’s best to use a yoga ball in a clean environment free from sharp objects that might puncture it and start with easy exercises that don’t require significant balance. When exercising on the ball, it’s also important to keep posture in mind to engage core muscles and maintain correct alignment of the spine.
Many yoga exercise balls have anti-burst features. This feature, which is usually visible as small bubbles on the surface of a yoga ball, ensures that the ball will deflate slowly if punctured, reducing the chance of injury and preventing serious injuries like spinal disc herniation.