If you are researching fitness balls, balance balls, or whatever you call them, you know how many varieties there are. After finding what I think is the perfect one for me, and having benefited in my research from numerous Amazon members'' comments on various balls, I feel obliged to give this one a positive, and I hope useful, review.A physical therapist recommended sitting and gentle bouncing on a ball to improve my balance and strength. I sit on it when using my computer and it makes me keenly and continually aware of my posture, whereas when sitting in a chair, I may not notice I''m slumping until I feel pain in my neck and shoulders.
First, my limiting criteria: It had to be black or silver to match my decor. Call me picky but no way could I abide a huge neon-colored thing screaming for attention in my otherwise tranquil room. It had to be reasonably odor-free, as I''m very sensitive to odors. Most importantly, it had to be burst-resistant I don''t want to risk falling and getting injured.
The ball arrived several days before expected. I was relieved that it didn''t have an acrid petrochemical odor, but it did have a strong, cloying vanilla scent, like an unlit vanilla candle. Since unlike some odors, it did not make me ill in any way, I decided it was OK. I''ve had the ball for 5 days, and the scent has dissipated significantly, to a quite acceptable level. In fact, with the ceiling fan on low, it''s imperceptible.
The ball does not come with a pump. Right away, it became obvious that inflating it by mouth was not going to work I could only get it to about 30 cm. Fortunately, I had a Black and Decker Air Station which comes with a cone-shaped attachment like you would use for an inflatable mattress, which works perfectly on this ball. The ball comes with inflation instructions, noting that if initially you cannot inflate it all the way, you should inflate it part-way and let it rest awhile before inflating it all the way. This is exactly what happened.
It will inflate to the full 65 cm, but as per the physical therapist''s recommendation, I left it fairly soft, at 63 cm, to start with It''s more comfortable and less of a challenge for the beginner. Be sure and push the plug all the way in, flush with the ball''s surface. It comes with two plugs, so you have a spare.
Once it was fully inflated, I tested the burst-resistance by removing the plug and sitting on the ball. The air goes out slowly, giving you plenty of time to prevent a fall. Purportedly, this gradual deflation is what would happen if the ball were punctured, which I suppose would be a legitimate concern in a household with children, pets or other sharp objects.
The surface is tacky (not sticky, more like non-slip), which keeps you connected to the ball, and the ball connected to the floor. I have it in a room with wood floors and a wool area rug, and not a bit of anything has clung to it so far. If you have nylon carpet, and/or shedding pets, that may be a different story.
One last note: My keyboard tray measures 62 cm from the floor, so when the ball is not in use, I can wedge it under the desk and it stays there. If it doesn''t stay, I will know it needs a bit more air. But so far, it has not lost any air in the four days I''ve been using it.
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