Sports Specific Training

For individuals wanting to improve core stability, can using the right size exercise or stability ball help improve workouts and achieve goals?

Exercise Stability Ball

An exercise ball, stability ball, or Swiss ball is a piece of fitness equipment used in gyms, Pilates and yoga studios, and HIIT classes. (American Council on Exercise. 2014) It is inflated with air to supplement bodyweight workouts or improve posture and balance. It can also be used as a chair. They add a core stability challenge to almost any exercise (American Council on Exercise, N.D.) Getting the appropriate exercise ball size and firmness for your body and purpose will ensure an optimal workout.

Size

• The exercise ball size should be proportional to individual height.
• Individuals should be able to sit on the ball with their legs at a 90-degree angle or slightly more, but not less.
• The thighs should be parallel to the ground or angled slightly down.
• With the feet flat on the floor and the spine straight, not leaning forward, backward, or sideways, the knees should be even with or slightly lower than the hips.

Here is the American Council on Exercise guide when choosing. (American Council on Exercise. 2001)

Height - Ball Size

• Under 4’6”/137 cm - 30 cm/12 inches
• 4’6” – 5’0”/137-152 cm - 45 cm/18 inches
• 5’1”-5’7”/155-170 cm -  55 cm/22 inches
• 5’8”-6’2”/173-188 cm - 65 cm/26 inches
• Over 6’2”/188 cm - 75 cm/30 inches

Getting the right exercise ball for weight is also important. Individuals who are heavy for their height may need a larger ball to keep the knees and legs at the correct angle. It is recommended to check the weight rating of the ball, its durability, and its high burst resistance before buying.

Inflation

Individuals want a little give on the ball's surface for exercise. When sitting on the exercise stability ball, body weight should create a little seat and provide more stability. More importantly, it allows sitting evenly on the ball, which is essential for exercising with proper spinal alignment. (Rafael F. Escamilla et al., 2016) Inflation is a matter of preference, but the more inflated the ball is, the more difficult it will be to balance the body, whether sitting or in other positions. It is recommended not to over-inflate the ball at the risk of bursting. The ball may require reinflation occasionally, so many are sold with a small pump for this purpose.

Exercises and Stretches

Exercise balls are highly versatile, inexpensive, and easy-to-use workout tools. They are beneficial for improving core strength and stability. Ways to be used include:

• Active sitting in place of a chair.
• Stretching on the ball.
• Balance and stability exercises.
• Pilates or yoga.
• Strength workout.
• Target exercises for core activation and strengthening.

At Injury Medical Chiropractic and Functional Medicine Clinic, we focus on what works for you and strive to create fitness and better the body through research methods and total wellness programs. These natural programs use the body’s ability to achieve improvement goals and athletes can condition themselves to excel in their sport through proper fitness and nutrition. Our providers use an integrated approach to create personalized programs, often including Functional Medicine, Acupuncture, Electro-Acupuncture, and Sports Medicine principles.

 Home Exercises For Pain Relief

General Disclaimer *

The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified healthcare professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and directly or indirectly support our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has reasonably attempted to provide supportive citations and identified the relevant research studies or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.

We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how they may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to discuss the subject matter above further, don't hesitate to contact Dr. Alex Jimenez or us at 915-850-0900.

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

Licensed in: Texas & New Mexico*

References

American Council on Exercise. Sabrena Jo. (2014). Core-strengthening Stability Ball Workout. ACE Fitness® & Healthy Lifestyle Blog. https://www.acefitness.org/resources/pros/expert-articles/5123/core-strengthening-stability-ball-workout/

American Council on Exercise. (N.D.). Exercise Database & Library. Featured Exercises from ACE. Stability Ball. Healthy Living Blog. https://www.acefitness.org/resources/everyone/exercise-library/equipment/stability-ball/

American Council on Exercise. (2001). Strengthen your abdominals with stability balls. Healthy Living Blog. https://acewebcontent.azureedge.net/assets/education-resources/lifestyle/fitfacts/pdfs/fitfacts/itemid_129.pdf

Escamilla, R. F., Lewis, C., Pecson, A., Imamura, R., & Andrews, J. R. (2016). Muscle Activation Among Supine, Prone, and Side Position Exercises With and Without a Swiss Ball. Sports health, 8(4), 372–379. https://doi.org/10.1177/1941738116653931

"For individuals who want to exercise but have fears or concerns, can understanding what they are scared of help ease their minds?"

Overcoming Exercise Fears

One reason for the ongoing weight problem is that individuals don't move around enough, and one reason individuals don't exercise is fear (Craig M. Hales et al., 2020). For individuals, physical exertion and moving the body to the point of increased heart rate, heavy breathing, and excessive sweating can cause anxiety and be scary when they haven't done it in a while or have never worked out. Some anxieties and fears individuals may experience include the following:

Looking Foolish

Anything can happen when exercising. When individuals can't figure out how a machine works or aren't sure if they're doing an exercise correctly, falling off a machine or dropping a weight can cause a feeling of foolishness. Knowing how to use machines and weights takes practice. Ask a gym employee or personal trainer for guidance, as educating individuals on doing exercises correctly and safely is their job. And most individuals working out are happy to help as well.

Experiencing Pain

Some avoid exercise, fearing intense pain. Exercise is not supposed to be painful, but it will cause soreness because individuals use muscles that they haven't used for a while or at all. For instance, the muscles will experience a slight burning sensation when lifting weights. The body reacts to the workout and adapts to exercise. As the body gets stronger, individuals recognize their body's response and are able to challenge themselves with heavier weights, longer runs, walks, and workouts. When beginning an exercise program, start slow. Some trainers recommend doing slightly less than an individual thinks they can for the first weeks. This helps to build a habit without the risk of burnout.

Injuries

When starting an exercise program, individuals can feel changes all over their bodies, like everything is pulling and tearing apart. Individuals who haven't exercised much may be unable to distinguish between the normal discomfort from exercising for the first time and pain from an injury. Shin splints, side stitches, or other common side effects may develop from beginning an exercise program. Individuals may need to stop exercising, treat the injury, and start again.

• If there are sharp pains in the joints, tearing in the muscles or ligaments, or anything else that doesn't feel normal, stop and seek medical attention.

Exercise Mindfulness

• The body will feel something while exercising, but separating real injury pain from normal sensations is important.
• Be aware of how the body feels throughout the workout.
• Follow instructions and pay attention to proper form to minimize the risk of injury.

Proper Footwear

• Wearing the right workout shoes is a good idea to avoid and prevent injuries.
• Invest in a quality pair of shoes to give the body the support it needs.

Proper Form

• If lifting weights, one way to sustain an injury is using incorrect form or posture.
• If you are unsure how to do the exercises, consult a trainer or gym employee to explain how the machine works.

Warm Up

• Jumping into a workout without warming up can lead to injuries that can lead to chronic pain conditions.
• A warm-up specific to the workout is recommended.
• If walking, start with a moderate walk.
• If running, start with a brisk walk.
• If lifting weights, do a little cardiovascular exercise first or a warm-up set with lighter weights.

Workout Within Fitness Levels

• Injuries happen when trying to do too much too soon.
• Start with a light program.
• Work up to more intense and frequent workouts.
• For example, if only able to walk for 10 minutes, start there and increase gradually.

Failure

When it comes to exercise, failure can be experienced in different ways, like losing weight, failing to make it through a workout, being unable to stick to an exercise program, etc. This is part of the process, but individuals can overcome exercise fears through perseverance.

• Setting the bar too high can become an excuse to quit.
• A simple way to deal with this is to set a reachable goal.
• Long-term goals can be set to work toward.
• Do what you can handle now.

Individuals take risks whenever they do something out of their comfort zone. However, taking risks may be necessary to overcome exercise fears, keep going, and achieve success.

Weight Loss Techniques

General Disclaimer *

The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified healthcare professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and directly or indirectly support our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has reasonably attempted to provide supportive citations and identified the relevant research studies or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.

We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please contact Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

Licensed in: Texas & New Mexico*

References

Hales CM, C. M., Fryar CD, Ogden CL. (2020). Prevalence of obesity and severe obesity among adults: United States, 2017–2018. NCHS Data Brief, no 360. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db360.htm#Suggested_citation