A Great Tool In Rehabilitation

Newcastle Herald

Tuesday April 30, 2002

ALTHOUGH these large inflatable balls have been used in rehabilitation exercise since the 1960s they are still a rare sight in gyms.

But more and personal trainers have been undergoing training courses and incorporating MediBalls into their clients workouts.

One of the first to grasp onto the balls is Studio 1 at New Lambton and Warners Bay.

Personal trainer Mick Cunningham said that the balls were a fantastic addition to any gym.

`There are countless different exercises with the balls and you can also incorporate free weights as well,' he said.

`You can get someone to sit on the ball and do shoulder presses and not only are they working their shoulders but also their muscles that help to stabilise the body.'

You can sit on the balls, lie, lean, stand, kneel and get into many other positions.

Some clients may even use two balls at once, sitting on one ball while squeezing another between their knees.

The ball can be used to get the body into a supine (face up) or prone (face down) position. One such exercise is to sit on the ball and walk the body forward so that the head and shoulders are on the ball and the body is horizontal to the ground with knees bent.

From this position you can do many of the arm and shoulder exercises done on a bench while working the leg and the core muscles deep in the abdominal wall at the same time.

`The MediBalls are versatile and are becoming a great tool in rehabilitation as well and I couldn't go back to a gym that didn't have a few balls,' Mick laughed.