Yoga exercise balls are constructed from soft PVC and elastic and filled with air. The diameter usually ranges between 14 to 24 inches. They are similar to medicine balls, however, they are much larger and far lighter. These yoga exercise balls can be inflated or deflated by removing a valve stem and adjusting the air pressure.

Yoga exercise balls are also known as stability balls, exercise balls, Swiss balls, gym balls, physioballs, Pezzi balls, sports balls, Swedish balls, therapy balls, birthing balls, fitness balls, pilates ball or gymnastic balls.

An Italian manufacturer named Aquilino Cosani first developed the stability ball in 1963. He was able to develop a process whereby plastic balls were molded to become large and puncture-resistant. First called Pezzi Balls and Swiss Balls, these exercise balls were adapted by a British physiotherapist, Mary Quinton, for use in treatment programs in newborns and infants in Switzerland. Dr. Susanne Klein-Vogelbach, who worked as the director of a Basel, Switzerland school for physical therapy, found that yoga exercise balls were beneficial for neuro-developmental treatment. She found that the exercise ball was highly beneficial for treating adults with orthopedic and medical problems. This is known as functional kinetics. A number of physical therapists from North America began to utilize the stability ball in their own physical therapy programs. Athletic training now uses exercise balls as part of a standardized fitness routine. Other forms of exercise such as yoga also use the stability ball as an incorporated factor in the program.

Using an exercise ball has a number of advantages over direct exercise on a hard flat surface because the body is forced to remain balanced despite the instability of the ball. This utilizes a number of muscles not normally worked in standard exercises, primarily abdominal and back muscles.

Yoga exercise balls can be used instead of a chair. This has become very commonplace in offices, for example. The proper posture needed in order to make this happen constantly works the back and abdominal muscles. Many physical therapists recommend the use of a stability ball for patients that work in sedentary jobs.

These yoga exercise balls can also be used in the birthing process. They aid in the process whereby the fetal head descends into the pelvis. Being seated in the upright position is also more comfortable for a woman during the childbirth process as it helps with fetal positioning. This is usually accomplished by having the woman sit on the exercise ball. She places her arms on the bed or table and rocks her hips. This has been found by natural physiologists to assist during the contractions and overall aid in the process of birth.

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