While investment in large fitness equipment, such as treadmills, recumbent bicycles, and even Pilates equipment, are necessary for today's rehabilitation needs, smaller products, such as resistance bands and exercise balls, play an important role in treatment programs. Understanding the roles and uses of these products can provide you with additional fitness or rehabilitation treatment options.
Resistance bands, also commonly known as elastic bands, exercise bands, and elastic tubing, are designed to introduce progressive resistance to an exercise program. The different color-coded resistance levels allow the fitness professional to customize strengthening programs to meet the needs of their clients.
Classifying resistance band exercise as similar to isotonic exercise means band resistance is fixed and the speed of exercise is variable, providing greatest resistance at midrange and allowing exerciser to attain end range of motion.
In addition to being used in rehabilitation, the exercise ball, also known as a "Swiss ball," has additional applications in areas such as general fitness, strength or weight training, and exercise for pregnant women.
With the exercise ball, an element of instability is introduced to the exercise that one would not normally get in a floor exercise. The body responds naturally and automatically to this instability to keep balanced on the exercise ball. Over time, the muscles used to keep in balance on the Swiss ball become stronger. In essence, individuals build strength in important back muscles and abdominal muscles without knowing it.
The exercise ball also uses what is called "proprioception," an awareness of where one's hand, or foot, is in relationship to space. The instability of the exercise ball provides the body with constant opportunities to evaluate its orientation in space, developing and training the body's natural awareness. Enhanced proprioception provides the body with increased balance and stability.
Put the Products to Use
Here are a handful of exercises using a therapy ball that may be useful for your patients' fitness or rehabilitation needs.
Back Extension
Position the ball under your hips and lower torso with the knees straight or bent. With hands behind the head or behind the back, slowly roll down the ball. Lift your chest off the ball, bringing your shoulders up until your body is in a straight line. Make sure your body is in alignment (ie, head, neck, shoulders, and back are in a straight line), your abs are pulled in, and that you don't hyperextend the back.
Ball Balance
Position the ball under your abs and hips, hands on the floor and legs straight and off the floor. Hold that position for 20 to 30 seconds, keeping your body in a straight line, abs pulled in. Keeping balance, slowly raise your right arm out to the side, taking care not to roll or allow any part of your body to collapse. Hold that for a few seconds and switch arms.
Butt Lift
Lie on the ball with the head, neck, and shoulders supported, knees bent, and body in a tabletop position. Lower the hips toward the floor without rolling on the ball. Squeeze the glutes to raise the hips until the body is in a straight line, like a bridge. Hold the weights on the hips for added intensity, and make sure you press through the heels and not the toes.
Hip Extension
Lie down with the feet heels propped on the ball. Keeping abs tight, slowly lift your hips off the floor (squeezing the glutes) until the body is in a straight line. Hold for a few seconds and lower. For added intensity, lift the hips and then take one leg off the ball, hold for a moment, and lower. Repeat, lifting the other leg off the ball.
Ab Roll
Place your hands on the ball in front of you, arms parallel. Pulling your belly button toward your spine and tightening your torso, slowly roll forward, rolling the ball out as far as you can without arching or straining the back. Push the elbows into the ball, and squeeze the abs to pull the body back to start. People with back problems should avoid this move.
Upright Rows
Stand in the middle of the resistance band, holding the ends of the band in each hand. Start exercise with hands at the side and palms facing back. Pull upwards with elbows out and the band beside your body until your hands are shoulder high and your elbows are even with your ears.
Ball Twist
Get into a pushup position with the feet on either side of the ball (turning your ankles so that you are hugging the ball). Hold your body in a straight line with abs pulled in, hips straight, and hands directly under shoulders. Slowly twist the ball to the right while trying to keep your shoulders level, then to the left. Avoid sagging in the middle.
Chest Press
Lie on the ball with therapy bands on either side. Roll forward and squeeze the butt to keep the hips up. Hold onto the handles, and press the arms up and over chest. Bend the elbows to lower back down (going no lower than the shoulders).
Overhead Press
Sit on the ball with a therapy band extending on either side. Keep the abs engaged and grasp the handles, bring the hands up just over your shoulders. Sitting tall, press arms up and over head. Release back to start and repeat.
Front Raise
Turn the ball so that the resistance bands are directly under you. Grab the handle and, keeping your torso straight, lift your arm straight up in front of you to shoulder level. Lower and repeat for all reps, and then switch arms.
Lateral Raises
Stand in the middle of the resistance band, holding the ends of the band in each hand. Your knees should be slightly bent. Start exercise with hands beside your body and palms facing inward. Slowly lift both arms outward until the ends of the band are shoulder high. Return hands slowly to side and repeat.
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