After major surgery, when I was going through months of physical therapy learning how to walk again, I was often using medicine balls as part of my recovery routine. For me, regaining my balance, my ability to walk, and my lower-body strength was pivotal, and this workout tool helped me along the way.
I like to mix up my workout routine to keep it interesting. Honestly, I forgot about the power of medicine balls, so I recently started using them again, most notably my ten-pound, high-quality red medicine ball from Rep Fitness. Not only do I love the color, but I also prefer switching up the weights, going from dumbbells to these durable weighted balls. There’s a good reason physical therapists and fitness trainers recommend medicine balls, and the research backs it up. Let’s look at some of the research on boosting balance and how they stand up to Swiss balls.
What’s the difference between Swiss balls and medicine balls?
Swiss balls are inflatable balls that might also be called yoga or stability balls. They’re larger and usually made of PVC — a type of synthetic resin. Rather than being inflatable, medicine balls are smaller in size, weighted, and used for throwing and developing strength and power. Using medicine balls helps you grow muscle through resistance and rotational movements.
Do medicine balls improve your balance?
The short answer is yes, medicine balls do improve your balance. For example, in a study published in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science, 36 healthy young adults were randomly categorized into two groups. The 18 adults in group one performed medicine-ball exercises, and the 18 individuals in group two performed Swiss-ball exercises for a total of six weeks. In the study, “The Medicine-ball was 19 cm in diameter, and considering muscle strength, the ball weighed 2.5 and 1.25 kg for males and females, respectively. The Swiss-ball was of a suitable size for exercise, considering the subject’s height.”
Researchers tested balance at the start and end of the study by asking participants to stand on one leg, reach forward while remaining balanced, and get up and walk briskly.
The results
The results revealed:
- There was a significant improvement in static and dynamic balance in both groups, and both were similarly effective.
- The medicine-ball exercises improved the TUG (timed up and go test) more effectively than the Swiss balls. The researchers noted that “This is a different result from previous studies wherein exercise with the Swiss-ball had a positive effect on TUG. However, if the duration of the study is prolonged, the same effect is expected to be seen.”
This is an interesting but small study that involved only 36 young adults exercising for six weeks. The research shows both medicine balls and Swiss balls can improve balance. Medicine balls are especially beneficial for getting those core muscles working and providing resistance.
