Use the handy app to get workout ideas. (Photo: Amazon)(Photo: Amazon)
Back pain can be life-altering, and it's a problem plenty of people face. More than 31 million Americans have lower back pain at any given time, and an estimated 80% of folks will have back pain at some point in their lives.
If you struggle with back pain, you know you'll do nearly anything to make it go away. But experts say you don't necessarily need to shell out for fancy treatments. Something as simple as an exercise ball may help you get relief — and even keep your pain from coming back. Right now, Amazon is offering the popular UrbnFit balance ball for nearly 50% off — just for today! (If you're in the market for other fitness gear, check out these on-sale UrbnFit items.)
Balance balls are "a great tool to help with back pain," Dr. Dale O’Leary, a board-certified orthopedic clinical specialist at Spectrum Health Outpatient Rehabilitation, tells Yahoo Life. "It can help with strengthening and stability," he adds.
A balance ball can build up your core muscles, which are crucial to help manage back issues, Dr. Medhat Mikhael, a pain management specialist and medical director of the non-operative program at the Spine Health Center at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, Calif., tells Yahoo Life. "Your spine is a column that is supported by ligaments, but it also has a lot of muscles supporting it, including your core muscles," he explains. "When your core muscles are weak, there's a lot of tension and load on the spinal column, and that can lead to pain."
But when you have a strong core, it helps support your spinal column and lowers your risk of back pain and tightness, Mikhael says. A balance ball "can be a great way to strengthen core muscles," Dr. Mara Vucich, a physiatrist at the Maryland Spine Center at Mercy, tells Yahoo Life.
There are a few ways experts say you can use an exercise ball to reap the back pain-fighting benefits:
Bridges: O'Leary recommends this move: Lay down on the ground, belly up, with your feet on the ball. Lift your butt off the ground into a bridge while keeping your belly button drawn in. Squeeze your butt muscles in the process.
Planks: Holding yourself in a plank position, with your bent elbows resting on the ball and your toes on the ground, can be a good way to build up your core, Mikhael says.
Ready to ease your back pain with a balance ball? The UrbnFit ball offers gym quality at home. It's made from professional-grade, anti-burst PVC to help it last. The ball also has an easy-to-grip texture to keep you from slipping off. Lay it flat side up or down to get a different stability challenge.
Detachable resistance bands allow you to work your arms with bicep curls, and the included app gives you plenty of workout ideas.
The UrbnFit half balance ball comes in blue and black, and they're both on sale.
More than 1,100 Amazon shoppers love this exercise ball. "It has stood up to months of daily abuse from my 6'9" husband and our 4-year-old son," shared a happy customer. "I also turn it upside down, sit on the flat surface and do figure 8s with my hips to loosen the joints and muscles that can become painful after prolonged sitting."
A fellow happy customer also shared this: "I'm using this product to strengthen my core. The exercises provided have been helpful and challenging. I've added it to my yoga routine."
If you're ready to strengthen your core to minimize your back pain, the UrbnFit half balance ball is here to help.
If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get free shipping, of course. Not yet a member? No problem. You can sign up for your free 30-day trial here. (And by the way, those without Prime still get free shipping on orders of $25 or more.)
The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
