All About Exercise Balls

Exercise balls are one of the most innovative ways to exercise.  These little balls may catch everyone's fancy due to their shape and bright colors.  But the real benefit of these balls, which were introduced by a group of Swiss medical therapists, is a substitute of support during exercise.

Image by stevendepolo via FlickrWorking out with exercise balls can strengthen and tone all of the major muscles of the body.  The soft texture of the balls make them an ideal choice for Yoga positions, using dumbbells for muscle toning, or working on heavy-duty weight training equipment.

The advantage of exercise balls is that they are durable and maintain shape well under pressure.  The documentation with the balls will provide test load figures for how much weight the exercise balls will hold.  The advantage here is the fact that the balls provide soft yet firm support that doesn't harm your body.

You can find exercise balls in several different colors and finishes.  You can even get a ball that matches the decor of your room!  They are simple to store and you can roll them under your bed or a table if you prefer.  When you aren't using them, you can let kids play with them.  These balls are very fun for kids, as they are very soft and won't cause them any harm.

Originally developed for use in medical therapy, the exercise ball is used to support the body during exercise.  These balls will provide support to the body when you do a specific exercise in a specific position and need to maintain balance.  Most exercise balls are made of burst-proof latex or other material that is very safe to use.

Image via WikipediaThere are many postures with yoga and muscle toning exercises that can only be done with the help of support.  For these postures, exercise balls are quite useful.  The exercise balls will introduce an element of stability to the exercise that you wouldn't normally get with floor exercise.

Your body responds automatically to the instability to keep balanced on the exercise ball.  This will help in strengthening other muscles that aren't actively participating in exercise.

An exercise ball is also very useful for physiotherapy treatment.  Use of exercise balls can even help to get rid of backache and spinal disorders.  The small range of movement and adjustment of balance of the spine that is induced by exercising with the exercise ball can often help reduce back pain, without straining the muscles.

This works well for people with back pain to provide them with a simple way to restore movements after an episode of back pain.  It also results in improved muscle strength, greater flexibility, and a wider range of motion of the spine during treatment.