Wobble Board or Balance Board: Uses, effectiveness and Theories

Wobble Board or Balance Board: Uses, effectiveness and Theories

The wobble or balance board is one of the most commonly used and versatile pieces of equipment for lower limb strength and balance training. It is an invaluable and inexpensive tool in the rehabilitation of ankle, knee and hip injuries.

Balance Boards and Wobble Boards are also excellent for improving balance, co-ordination and confidence. The balance board was originally produced for skiers and surfers to practice their skills in the off season and at night, a balance board is a device that has come to be used for training in all sports and martial arts, for physical fitness and for non-athletic purposes.
The boards can be used by people of all ages and all walks of life (including all levels of fitness) and there has been some evidence they can also assist elderly people to help prevent falls and injuries.

The boards are extremely hard-wearing and safe for use in shoes, socks or bare foot.
Generally they are made from a circular disc of wood with a ball like device placed centrally underneath, allowing a wide range of motion. Some variations of the board have developed an adjustable central mechanism to allow different degrees of tilt. There is another variation called an air cushion it is simply an air filled circular cushion. Some models have a valve to allow as little or as much air as required. This piece of equipment be used in a similar way to a wobble board, but there are hundreds of other exercises and uses. Perfect for use where a floor covering may be damaged by a wooden board.

Possible Exercises or games for the Balance or Wobble Board

There are many different types of exercise that can be carried out using the boards all of which can be performed in the comfort of your own home. Exercises can be carried out sitting, standing or kneeling to provide exercises for various different muscle groups and also to keep the exercise fresh which is vital in any exercise regime.
Rocking from side to side with your feet firmly placed on the board, making slow controlled movements from side to side. Then extend this by rocking backwards and forwards. Continue on to circular movements by rotating your hips.
There a number of games that could be played using the balance or wobble board such as catch whilst trying to balance at the same time or just trying to see who can stay on the board for the longest!! This is an area where your imagination can take over and you can really get the full use from your board.
Reasons and Theories for Use of a Balance or Wobble Board
The Balance or wobble board is an easy and effective way to improve certain core fitness areas.

It is useful for:

· Recovery post injury or operation
· To improve balance skills for sports such as skiing, dancing, rugby, football, Surfing etc.
· A good sense of balance controls the position of the pelvis which will improve lower abdominal, hip and core pelvic muscle strength and control.
· To train balance skills as part of a core stability programme.

Please note that we encourage the safe use of all sports equipment and people should always be fully recovered from any injuries before using a wobble or balance board. They are an aid for rehabilitation not an aid for recovery from injuries.

As with any sporting product make sure you pick the one for your individual needs. The team at Marchsports will always be willing to help with any queries.

Article by Craig Collins part of the March Sports of Southampton team. Dedicated sports retailer with over 20 year’s experience. Looking to help you enhance your sporting achievements and increase your enjoyment of sport in a safe manner.

Please visit us at http://www.marchsports.co.uk

We will be happy to help.

Why and when to use Neoprene Supports?

Neoprene supports are a necessity for any serious or enthusiastic amateur sportsperson. It is a common fallacy that the only use for such supports are when an injury has occurred and the athlete is in the recovery period, although this is the most common use the supports are also a great aid in preventing injury and support for long term injury sufferers.

The supports offer support, protection, warming and enhance recovery and performance. The closed neoprene rubber is what provides the warmth and support and it is this that encourages recovery and also helps prevent injuries in high impact sports. Supports can be manufactured out of other materials but in our experience we believe that neoprene is the most effective aid especially for the recovery process.

The fact supports can be bought for any joint or medically proven problem areas such as the lower back mean they are available for use in almost all sports. The most common use for the supports is for rugby and football where there are large numbers of high impact incidents that put strain on certain areas of the body especially joints such as ankles and knees. The supports such as the back and wrist supports though would be great for any racket sport players such as badminton or tennis and also sports such as hockey.

Protection - In addition to cushioning the effects of minor bumps and knocks, the warming of the joints by the neoprene promotes greater flexibility in muscles, tendons and ligaments reducing the risk of new or recurring injuries.

Recovery - Neoprene effectively retains body heat, warming the area of use to improve blood circulation and aid the body's natural healing process.

Support - Neoprene gives firm support along with comfort and improved manoeuvrability.
The supports can be worn either on an everyday basis to aid recovery and avoid any further strain being put on a weakened area or they can be used whenever the athlete is training or in a competitive environment for extra protection.

In all cases the user should note the warnings on the reverse of the packaging. Users should also avoid cheap alternatives to the high quality neoprene supports. Neoprene supports are affordable and do offer a much greater protection than that of other cheaper alternatives that use materials that do not provide the same levels of support and protection.

Please note also that all athletes in any sport should allow injuries to fully heal before they compete in a competitive environment. Neoprene supports are not intended to be used to mask injuries they are intended to be used as an aid to recover, protect and support!

There are many brands of supports with varying levels of effectiveness and comfort. As with any sporting product make sure you pick the one for your individual needs. The team at Marchsports will always be willing to help with any queries.

Article by Craig Collins part of the March Sports of Southampton team. Dedicated sports retailer with over 20 year’s experience. Looking to help you enhance your sporting achievements and increase your enjoyment of sport in a safe manner.

Please visit us at http://www.marchsports.co.uk

We will be happy to help.

Pilates at home??

Pilates at home?
Most Gyms and Pilates studios have Pilates mats which will usually be of a good quality and available to use. Of course if you have your own mat, you may very well want to take it to the gym with you, but the real reason to get a Pilates mat is for your home workout. In the comfort of your own home there is no embarrassment when you show that ‘bit’ you don’t want people to see and you have the confidence to try those more advanced moves that when people are watching you may avoid!!
When deciding which you would go for a yoga mat or a Pilates mat generally they have a large number of similarities, both are of a similar size and shape. However, a Pilates mat needs to be thicker than yoga mats. The reason is in Pilates it is vital to have that extra cushioning from the hard non forgiving floor, the reason being is if you know your Pilates many more of the exercises rely on you rolling around and without the extra padding many will become very uncomfortable!! In yoga there are a number of standing exercises that need that contact with the floor to provide the correct base for the exercise therefore the mats are made slightly thinner and with more grip. For yoga a lot of the exercises require a large amount of grip to stop yourself ending up face first on the floor! With Pilates many of the exercises are more gentle and do not require the grip of the Yoga mats.
A good Pilates mat is at least a half inch thick with an inch generally being what you would desire. There are many thinner mats marketed as Pilates mats, but they are really just yoga mats or some type of crossover of the two. You need provide your back with enough support and padding when exercising on a hard surface therefore the requirement for the extra thickness
The Pilates mat should also be firm. A mat that is too soft will not support balance and alignment properly.
Make sure that the mat is long enough and wide enough for you! The length and width can vary a lot from mat to mat. You just need to find the one that is most suitable for your body shape. Roll up mats are generally the smaller version available with the fold up ones being much larger. Always ask the retailer to make sure you get the right size you require!!
The mats that roll up offer the benefits of being portable and easy to store. These mats are usually made of dense foam or rubber.
Look for a mat that comes with straps to keep the mat rolled up for easier storage and carrying.
Pilates Mats comes in a wide range of sizes, styles and colours. When shopping for a suitable mat, it's important to consider what you really want!

Article by Craig Collins of March Sports. Please visit March Sports of Southampton at http://www.marchsports.co.uk for great quality sporting goods at great prices with great service!!

Also in February 09 put MCSPORTS1 in the coupon box at checkout for 5% off all items!!