Balance Board Benefits:
Finding your balance on a balance board is all about engaging new muscle groups to achieve stability on a naturally unstable platform. It forces your body to work in a way it’s not used to, which develops several key muscles from your lower back and core, down to your glutes, thighs, and calves.
Starting from an unstable base, your body gains awareness of its smallest movements, reactivating muscles you don’t normally use, making them “rethink” the very act of how to stand upright. This reactivation results in a more balanced and efficient stance which, over time, will grow increasingly stabler. Subconsciously, your body learns the kind of healthy movement patterns that correct your posture, reducing back pain and other pesky aches that occur naturally when you spend too much time at your desk.
A balance board is a fun and remarkably effective way to subconsciously train your body to improve your posture by integrating healthy movements into your everyday life. For busy people who don’t have too much time to exercise, it’s the perfect activity to incorporate into your life without having to commit to a gym membership.
That said, it’s also perfect if you want to combine it with a daily fitness routine or regular workout schedule exclusively to improve your balance. Balance and stability training can be an integral part of physical rehabilitation, and it’s been proven to correct a myriad of health problems. Beyond the obvious benefits of improving your balance and stability, it’ll also correct slouching postures, reduce the future risk of injury, develop coordination and strengthen key muscle groups. The fact it incorporates these makes it perfect for physical therapy and rehabilitation.
It’ll feel a bit odd at first, but with practice, you’ll feel stronger, healthier, and more balanced. Below you can read some of the scientifically proven benefits of balance training.
Improved brain function
Beyond its physical benefits, regular use of a balance board can also improve brain function and concentration. These days we spend much of our time on autopilot with very little awareness of how our mind and body work together throughout our day. The act of syncing our neural networks to maintain our balance requires intense levels of concentration. The improvement of balance and posture goes hand in hand with improvements to your vestibular system, as well as concentration abilities. Maintaining one’s balance, equilibrium, physical stability, or steadiness is a function coordinated by three systems, explains Gerry Green, director of the Fitness Centre at Rider University in Lawrenceville, N.J. The first is the vestibular or auditory system, located in the inner ear, which acts like a “carpenter’s balance” to keep you level. The second balance coordinator is the proprioceptive system, which uses sensory nerves called proprioceptors—the knowledge of the position and movement of the body, that are located in the muscles, tendons, and joints. They give signals to the central nervous system, which gives you a kinaesthetic sense, or an awareness of your body posture and spatial awareness. And finally, there is the visual system, which sends signals from the eyes to the brain about your body’s position in relation to its surroundings. A research study done by Dr. Ann-Kathrin Rogge from Hamburg University shows that balance training improves memory and spatial cognition. “Anecdotally, I have seen people have less anxiety and less fear of movement,” she says.
Strengthen your deep muscles
The deep muscles ensure the stability of your spine, chest, and pelvis. Any movement we do is based on what these muscles do to keep our body stable. They are crucial to minimise the risk of trauma. They need to be exercised because we spend most of our time sitting at our computers. A study shows that stabilization exercises affect neuromuscular control in the lumbopelvic region. This stabilizes the muscles and strengthens the core muscles so our body can carry its own weight.
Improve your posture
Poor posture is the curse of modern life. Long periods spent sitting at a desk, long commute times, and evenings spent in front of the television all contribute to awkward muscle imbalances and weaknesses that result in poor posture. Aside from the visual downsides, the continued imbalance in muscles supporting the spine can contribute to structural problems. These issues can eventually lead to acute back injuries or chronic back pain. A study show that approximately 80% of people will experience low back pain and for 20-50% of those people, the pain will be chronical.
The use of a balance board is an excellent and fun way to bring postural correction techniques into your daily life. The conscious effort that is required to stand upright on a balance board will not only make you aware of your posture, but will also help you train the muscles you rely on to improve it. A study has been done by Dawn A. Skelton from Oxford University explains the effect of balance training on postural stability.
Rehabilitation and reduced risk of injuries
In sports, a large part of trauma comes from the loss of balance and coordination. Stability is not just important for athletes, dancers, and circus performers; we all need it. Good stability in everyday life significantly reduces the risk of falls and any long-term injuries. By using a balance board to develop fine motor skills and coordination in the ankle joints, you can improve your movements and reactions on unstable surfaces, reducing the risk of accidental falls. This study found that six months of training with a balance board significantly reduces the risk of sports-related injuries. Similarly, another study shows that six weeks of balance board training with a reduces the risk of repeating an ankle injury. Using a balance board is considered a low-impact, weight-bearing exercise. This type of workout prevents osteoporosis, improve everyday functional movements like bending, reaching, turning and reduces the risk of fall by 29-49%.
Improve your reflexes
The use of a balance board trains your response and reaction to changes in your environment. Your body can react fast by effectively using the power of muscles that is useful for various sports. The speed, efficiency, and effectiveness come together with training on a balance board. You will also gain a better understanding and control of your body through enhanced proprioception—the knowledge of the position and movement of the body, its balance, and the notion of force. Since our body uses this sense for all activities, it’s crucial to train it; that’s where the balance board comes in. A study shows that balance training helps to improve neuromuscular control and performance enhancement which effects the impulse of the muscle groups.
Challenge your progress
Whether you add weight, increase the number of reps or simply focus on staying balanced, balance training is a fun and effective way to challenge your body. The training on a balance board can be done at various levels of difficulty. First, it is important to hold on to a standing position which can be challenging at the start. Second, you can test your stability by moving your arms–either vertically or horizontally. After, you can use dumbbells, elastic bands or any equipment you think would make your workout more challenging.
Increase Energy Expenditure (It’s a great workout)
According to a study, compared to sitting and standing, using a balance board while working increases energy expenditure and oxygen consumption. Heart rate also increased with standing and balance board use. Fatigue increased over time for standing while it levelled off after 30 minutes for sitting and balance board. Productivity was the same for all three working conditions.
Let your child give it a try
The development of balance and coordination starts at an early age when a child is starting to lift the head, standing on the elbows, crawling and walking. They develop these activities in the first year and keep improving, learning how to run, jump, ride a bike, dance, climb, etc. When they enter school, their daily activities change and often children develop back arches, uneven heights of shoulders, incorrect postures or even back pain at an early age. More children have reduced coordination and balance than in previous generations. A balance board can help to fix this. It is fun, exciting, and good for our health. Balance boards are suitable for children who are over four years old.