Therapy balls? - Cerebral Palsy Message Board

Midget · 09-18-2006, 12:22 AM

I just saw the thread about exercise, which is far too large for me to read tonight, but it reminded me of a question I had. This weekend I went out of town to watch the rodeo, and stayed with my grand parents in there motor home. I normally am a pretty active person, and move around a lot. However, in the confines of the motor home, this was not something easily done.

So, my grandma pulled out this therapy ball and told me to play with that.

Which I did, for a long while. It was really a comfortable way to sit, and I feel like I could really get good and stretched out. Which, was fantastic, because sleeping on their couch was something my back did not agree with. Heh...and now I'm sitting in front of the computer and have been for a while. I think it's time for a stretch, and going to bed. Anyway...my grandma was telling me about some exercises she did with the ball, and I was wondering if anyone had one and used it? What do you do with it? Do you like it? I'm hoping to move shortly, so it would not be convenient to buy one now, but most likely in the near future. How much are they? I apologize if this seems like a big, mass of unorganized text.

Malwm01 · 09-18-2006, 11:25 PM

Hey Midget, couches are no fun! I just spent last week on one. As for the excersize ball, I am terrified of them because they move. I used to wigout on my therapists when they brought them out. Even as a teenager. LOL

One day I was flipping through one of my sisters baby gear magazines and saw this:

[url]http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0009PLRWQ.16._SCLZZZZZZZ_SS260_.jpg[/url]

It's called a Baby Bouncy, and it supposed to calm colicy babies if you sit on it while you hold the baby and bounce a bit... but it also tones your core/trunk (and probably helps with balance) which I need badly. Anyway, it's a burst proof ball that sits in the black base so it won't "get away." I've been thinking about picking one up because it's only $39, which I'm pretty sure is cheap, but that's a guess really.

That's the only ball exercise I know, 'cause like I said, I'd never go near them iin PT.

Midget · 09-19-2006, 01:43 AM

I liked the challenged of the ball being able to slip away, and only fill off a few times.

So I'm more likely to just get a regular ball, as oposed to something that is not able to roll with me if I move around.

I don't have many memories of using balls doing PT, except maybe a few very vague ones from years ago. But it seems as though you can do a lot of strengthening and stretching exercises. I think I'll have to do some more looking around. Thanks for your reply!

Strawberry1 · 09-19-2006, 12:14 PM

I had to use a therapy ball in PT when I was 3-4 years old, and I didn't like it at all: I remember that I had to lay on my stomach on the ball and the physiotherapist raised my legs from the floor and slowly swung me from side to side; that was really scary.

But a few years ago, when therapy balls became trendy, I tried one at a gym, and then I noticed that if I do only such exercises that allow me to keep at least one of my legs on the ground, therapy balls are actually very nice creatures.

Strawberry1 · 09-19-2006, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Malwm01

It's called a Baby Bouncy, and it supposed to calm colicy babies if you sit on it while you hold the baby and bounce a bit... but it also tones your core/trunk (and probably helps with balance) which I need badly. Anyway, it's a burst proof ball that sits in the black base so it won't "get away." I've been thinking about picking one up because it's only $39, which I'm pretty sure is cheap, but that's a guess really.

I use a therapy ball as a chair beside my kitchen table, and it's very convenient. And bouncing is big fun

If one is afraid of the ball rolling away, one solution is to buy a ball that is a bit larger than you need and then underinflate it. And burst proofness also increases safety.