Exercise Ball Precautions

free exercise ball exercise precautions
  • Consult your family physician prior to beginning any new exercise program.

  • Progress slowly and only according to your ability.

  • If you are doing exercise ball exercises for the first time, perform your exercises without weights in order to become familiar with the movement.

  • If you are doing exercise ball exercises for the first time it may be helpful initially to have someone hold the ball or the have the ball propped in order to learn the movement.

  • Use your ball in an open area away from nearby furniture, counters, and sharp objects.

  • Use an appropriate size ball (see sizing chart).

  • If you have an injury, illness, or are pregnant, it is important that you consult your physical therapist or family physician to assess whether these exercise ball exercises are suitable for you.

  • Stop any exercise ball exercises that causes pain or feels awkward.  Readjust yourself and reread the instructions. The adage "no pain, no gain" does not apply. Joint pain of any kind is never a good sign.

  • If you feel any of the exercise ball exercises are dead easy, you are probably doing it wrong.  Try to do at least the recommended repetitions.

  • People with poor balance should only do exercise ball exercises under close supervision by a physical therapist

  • There is a risk of falling off the ball, particularly during some of the illustrated exercises. Perform exercises slowly and with control always maintaining correct body position

  • Do not do these exercise ball exercises if you have or have had in the past any neuromusculoskeletal disorder. Seek a health care professional capable of diagnosing neuromusculoskeletal pathology prior to attempting any exercises on this or any other site.

  • Do not exceed the ability of your spine to stabilize you. Serious injury may result if you place more of a demand on your stabilizing musculature that it is capable of providing. If you feel discomfort, stop the exercise immediately and choose one that is more in keeping with your capabilities.

  • Quality is far more important than quantity. Work with excellent technique (form) and work only until technique fatigue.

  • Be sure to follow instructions precisely, stop the exercise if you do not feel comfortable doing the exercise.

  • Find the highest capacity burst resistant ball available, and make sure it is properly inflated. Risks include fractures, strains, sprains, concussions, or worse.