Exercise ball

An exercise class using exercise balls.

An exercise ball allows a wide range of exercises to be performed.

Different types and sizes of balls at ISPO-fair 2014

An exercise ball, also known as a Swiss Ball, is a ball constructed of soft elastic with a diameter of
approximately 35 to 85 centimeters (14 to 34 inches) and filled with air. The air pressure is changed
by removing a valve stem and either filling with air or letting the ball deflate. It is most often used
in physical therapy, athletic training and exercise. It can also be used for weight training. The ball,
while often referred to as a Swiss ball, is also known by a number of different names, including
balance ball, birth ball, body ball, ball, fitness ball, gym ball, gymnastic ball, physioball, pilates ball,
Pezzi ball, sports ball, stability ball, Swedish ball, therapy ball, or yoga ball.

History
The physical object known as a "Swiss Ball" was developed in 1963 by Aquilino Cosani, an Italian
plastics manufacturer. He perfected a process for moulding large puncture-resistant plastic balls.
[1]
Those balls, then known as "Pezzi balls", were first used in treatment programs for newborns and
infants by Mary Quinton, a British physiotherapist working in Switzerland. Later, Dr. Susanne KleinVogelbach, the director at the Physical Therapy School in Basel, Switzerland, integrated the use of
ball exercise as physical therapy for neuro-developmental treatment. Based on the concept of
"functional kinetics",[2] Klein-Vogelbach advocated the use of ball techniques to treat adults with
orthopedic or medical problems. The term "Swiss Ball" was used when American physical therapists
began to use those techniques in North America after witnessing their benefits in Switzerland. [3] From
their development as physical therapy in a clinical setting, those exercises are now used in athletic
training,[4] as part of a general fitness routine [5] and incorporation in alternative exercises such as
yoga and Pilates.[6]

Benefits

A woman performing weighted sit-ups on an exercise ball.

A primary benefit of exercising with an exercise ball as opposed to exercising directly on a hard flat
surface is that the body responds to the instability of the ball to remain balanced, engaging many
more muscles.[7] Those muscles become stronger over time to keep balance. Most frequently, the
core body muscles the abdominal muscles and back muscles are the focus of exercise
ball fitness programs.[8]
A major benefit of using an unstable surface is the ability to recruit more muscle units without the
need to increase the total load. The greatest benefit of moving an exercise onto an unstable surface
is achieving a greater activation of the core musculature, exercises such as curl-up or push-up
performed on an exercise ball.[9] An unstable surface increases activation of the rectus abdominus
and allows for greater activity per exercise when compared to a stable surface. Exercises such as a
curl-up on an exercise ball yields a greater amount of electromyography (EMG) activity compared to

exercises on a stable platform.[10] Performing standard exercises, such as a push-up, on an unstable

surface can be used to increase activation of core trunk stabilizers and in turn provide increased
trunk strength and greater resistance to injury.[11]

Other uses
Fitness Experts and some Doctors also recommend sitting on an exercise ball instead of an office
chair.
This is based on the theory that the abdominal and back muscles are constantly engaged and active
in order to maintain proper posture and balance on the ball.[12][13] There is no scientific evidence of
those benefits occurring by just sitting without additional exercises.[14][15]However, some people warn
against using a Swiss ball as a chair due to ergonomic considerations[16] or biomechanical reasons.[17]
This large plastic ball, known as a "birth ball", can also be used during labour to aid the descent of
the fetal head into the pelvis. Sitting in an upright position will also aid fetal positioning and is more
comfortable for the woman. Sitting on the ball with arms placed on a bed, table or otherwise sturdy
object for support and gently rocking the hips may help the woman during contractions and aid the
natural physiological process of birth.[18]