Best Balance Discs

Whether you are trying to keep in shape or recovering from an injury, a balance disc can help. Stability discs come in two different types—inflatable wobble cushions that can be either placed on your chair or used during exercise or wooden balance boards specifically designed for workouts. Keep reading to find out which option is best for your specific requirements.

What Does a Balance Disc Do

Here are a few benefits of placing a balance disc on your office chair or incorporating it into your workout routine.

• Improves Core Strength and Posture

  The instability of a balance disc promotes muscle engagement during workouts. Even placing a wobble cushion on a standard chair activates your core muscles, as you need to continually make small adjustments to maintain your balance. This, in turn, can improve posture and alleviate back pain.

• Improves Proprioception

  Proprioception is the awareness of the positioning and movement of your body in space. The better your proprioception, the better your stability. Injuries, such as strains and sprains, can decrease your proprioception, affecting your balance and making you more susceptible to falls and re-injury. The wobbling movement of a balance board can improve your proprioception feedback, increasing stability, and joint control.

• Improves Focus and Concentration

  Sitting on a wobble cushion is not just comfortable, but also can increase your energy and focus. This can be particularly beneficial for older people and children. In fact, research has shown that active sitting can help kids with ADHD issues, making them move attentive and focused.

Balance Disc Exercises

Inflatable wobble cushions can be used for balance and flexibility exercises. They are also a great rehabilitation tool after an injury. The more inflated the disc, the more challenging the workout. Here are a few exercises to get you started.

• Twists

  Sit upright on a wobble cushion and engage your stomach muscles. Your feet should be flat on the floor directly in front of you. Keeping your knees and hips square, rotate left, and then right from the spine. This exercise works your core and back muscles.

• Squats

  Start by standing on a stability cushion, with your knees above your ankles. Keeping your core muscles engaged, bend at the knees until they are at a 90-degree angle. Hold this position for around 15 seconds before coming back to a standing position. This exercise works your thigh and glute muscles.

• Planks

  From a kneeling position, place your hands on the balance disc before lowering yourself onto your forearms (your elbows should be directly under your shoulders). Push your feet back into the plank position, ensuring that your back is straight. To make this exercise more challenging, lift one of your legs off the floor. Hold this position for around 30 seconds.

• Crunches

  Sit on a wobble cushion with your knees bent and your feet flat in front of you. Lower yourself back so your torso is on the floor. Contract your core muscles, as you pull yourself up towards your knees. To make this exercise more challenging, extend your legs and bring them towards your chest as you move your torso forward into a crunch.

• Reverse Lunges and Raises

  Begin by standing on a balance disc with your arms by your sides. Your palms should be facing your thighs. Lunge back with your right leg. Return to the starting position before lifting the right knee up until it is at a 90-degree angle as you raise your arms straight out in front of you. Hold for five seconds before returning to the starting position and repeating on the other side.

Weighing All the Factors

After a thorough review of the best balance discs, we recommend Gaiam’s stability core trainer. Fully customizable, this wobble cushion comes in three appealing colors and can be used for both workouts and active sitting. Our other two top choices, Yes4All’s wobble balance board and Vive’s wobble cushion with exercise book both have their own strengths. The choice is yours.

Sources:

https://www.physioroom.com/info/wobble-cushions-benefits-and-adhd/