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Has anyone Tried the -OsteoBall with any success?
I have nothing to do with this site, but It sounds interesting, and possibly something that is a good exercise for Osteoporosis, and maybe Osteo-Arthritis that I also have.
Here is the website: http://www.bonefitness.com/
April
Exercise Arthritis Pain Falls Osteoporosis Osteoarthritis Physical therapy
Hi Millie 123,
I hope you send your Osteo Ball back, and got your money back?
I send mine back, as I thought it was totaly useless also. My P.T. (physical Therapists) said the same thing.
Mine did not lose air, or because I didn't have it long enough to find out!!
I found the plastic ball to be so thin. I was thinking this is not going to hold up, and I'm not a heavy women. I also thought the handles on the sides would give , but they were just the material the ball was covered with, and didn't give!!!
I bought there deluxe one with the cover.
I think you might like the rubber Bands better, that you can buy in a sporting good store, or find them on line.
Also my P.T. sells a great Ball , with heavy rubber, that does not deflate, or change shape. I'm sure you can find those in sporting good store also, or a call a P.T, that sells them.
Let us know what happens?
Take Care,
April
I bought one of these last year and cannot keep it inflated. So it's been pretty much useless to me.
Hi - I am close to UCLA as well - have not explored them as a possible place to treat osteo -- but might just look into it - thanks.
So are you saying that the Osteoball is typically better for someone who deals with more pain, whereas the tubing or bands are good for those who don't have a lot of pain? And would you say that it would be better exercise for the one who doesn't have a lot of pain to use the tubing/bands???? I was about to order the Osteoball and saw these posts. I don't deal with a lot of pain, so I want to do what is the best for my body of those two exercises. Thanks!
I am a health fitness specialist and I incorporate the osteoball with some of the training sessions with clients that have severe osteoporosis and/or osteoarthritis. The difference with the osteoball exercises that the type of muscle contractions are isometric (muscle contraction without joint movement) versus the tubing, bands or other exercise equipment that you mention that require isotonic muscle contractions(muscle contraction with joint movement(such as flexion, extension, rotation, abduction, adduction).
Muscle pull on the bone with isometric contractions as well, which stimulate bone-building. It is useful for participants that have pain or are at high risk of fracture when performing traditional isotonic strength exercise. I use the osteoball often in combination with bands, tubing, hand-held weights, ankle weights, depending on the individual I am working with.
Hi Karen,
I called you at your work. I asked that you call me at my home and left my number and my cell number, but I have not heard from you yet!
Please call me, the ball is not working out for me!!!
Take Care,
April, in Ahwahnee, & Santa Monica.
Hi April,
It's Karen from Dr. Swezey's office. Did you have a question?
Karen
Hi SherriBetz,
Thank you for your information.
I think your right about using The therabands. The Bands do work better for me cause I also have arthritis in my wrists, and the bands give , but still have resistants, which I like, and My Dr. does also.
Does the Physio Balls have rubber handles on them, so you can pull them like the Bands?
I had one of those big white balls that you can lay on, sit on etc. Is that what a Physio ball is? My Sons girlfriend just as if she could have it, and I gave it to her!
How do you use a Physio Ball, and where do you buy those at, Sporting good stores?
Thank You,
April
Sorry, Sinaki is a "research" scientist
Sinaki is arsearch scientist at the Mayo Clinic and Briggs is a scientist in Queensland Australia. They do not have any books or websites. You would find them on pub med searches or university web of science searches. They are the ones doing the real research and they are not selling any books or products.
Thanks SherriB for your input!
Hello Karen Hunt and thanks for checking in!
When visiting the link provided by April, I found my way to a publication by RL Swezey et al, "Isometric Progressive Exercises for Osteoporosis" ( find it here: http://www.bonefitness.com/consumer/education/research/clinical_studies/lin ks/iso_exercises.html ) It says "Walking has long been considered the appropriate exercise for the management of osteoporosis. There are now studies that challenge this view."
Huh??
I read the abstract of one of the footnotes for the second sentence in that quote, and it seems to me that it's supporting, not challenging, the benefits of the exercises they employed (including walking) for osteoporosis. Find it here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermT oSearch=3259410&ordinalpos=6&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_Resu ltsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum ) (The other citation doesn't seem to be for a study.)
Comments, anyone?? (mine, right about now, is "ARGGGH!" [...sorry, it slipped out...] I'm going for a walk! <g>)
Hello Karen Hunt ,
Welcome , and I'm glad your here to answer question.
Take Care,
April
Hi Everybody
I’m Karen Hunt and I work for the company that makes the OsteoBall. I am available to answer any questions you have about the OsteoBall or Dr. Robert Swezey. Please feel free to reply here. You can also contact me directly at karenh@cequal.com or 800-860-3949, ext 805. I am happy to offer any guidance about the OsteoBall or related information.
Karen
Hi Sherri,
I went into Google and Amazon to find out more information on Sinaki and Briggs Osteo exercises & books. Amazon had had two used older books with out a picture of the book, and no reviews.
Google took me into Alibris used book. They had some used books, no picture of book, and no reviews, or anything about them!
Could you direct me to there website? I would appreciate it.
I'm trying to find an alternative to taking perscription meds.
Thank you,
April
Hi April,
You are very welcomed. Thank you for looking into this. My take is that people should not be dependent on equipment for exercise. Best of lucko everyone and remember that even if the BMD doesn't improve, you gain strength, flexiblity, balance and postural improvements with the rght type of exercise! Thisall will help to prevent fracures and falls. Dr. Briggs work in Australia is showing this more and more.
Sherri Betz, PT
Hi Sherri,
Thank you for your info.
At Dr. Swezey's office they do Bone Density Tests there.
I also called my friend who is dean of students at Ucla. He checked the Drs. back round for me, and said , Dr. Swezey did work there at one time, but is retired. Also he said, he is very well known.
He is getting older, and only see's some specialty Clients in Santa Monica.
I'm seeing everything is about money, can be writing books, inventing health equitment etc..
From the info I received, he is trying to help people.
I'll let you all know how the OsteoBall is, or I got ripped off!! lol..
Thanks again Sherri.
April
After further exploration, I did find the 2000 research study by Sweeney. They did see changes in pre vs. post muscle strength after the ball exercises. They also checked bone turnover markers, not specific BMD studies of the hip and spine. So we don’t really know what the effects were in the neck of the femur and the spinal vertebrae. You can do similar exercises with a theraband or sports tube and one of those Physio balls that is only blown up about 75% (or to be technically true to his study about 67%). Doesn’t everyone have one of those physioballs 55cm-75cm laying around?
Sherri Betz, PT
In regard to Pilates, I do agree that you should be careful who you choose for your Pilates teacher so that you are not given exercises that are beyond your level and contraindicated for osteoporosis. Also, I don’t think that you should expect insurance to cover your Pilates lessons. Please feel free to share the article that you can download for free from www.therapilates.com/osteonews page called “Modifying Pilates for Osteoporosis” Pilates can be very gentle and should make you feel good after sessions. You should definitely not experience pain after any exercise sessions no matter what the type. This is most likely not due to osteoporosis but to either joint problems or myofascial issues.
Sherri Betz, PT
For the Osteoball: 1. The "research" quoted on Dr. Sweezey's website, comes from "The Sweezey Instutiute and are ony "articles", not randomized clinical trials. None of the "articles" stated that he measured bone mineral density before and after the exercise program. They only measured muscle strength. You can read the articles yourself here: http://www.bonefitness.com/consumer/education/research/clinical_studies/lin ks.html If anyone has the real studies, please post them.
The question is: What muscles or bones is the ball actually targeting? The real research from Sinaki and Briggs and others has shown the best bone density increases and fracture risk decreases is with prone (lying face down) spine extention exercises to target the bones of the spine (vertebral bodies) and with standing exercises like squats to target the neck of the femur (hip bone). These bones are most vulnerable in those with osteoporosis.
3. So my recommendation is to do prone trunk strengthening exercises for your spine with emphasis on thoracic (mid back extension) and leg raises for hip extension for hip mobility and glute strengthening. For the femur: single leg standing balance exercises to prevent falls and build bone in the legs, wall squats and/or lunges if the knees can tolerate it are my favorites.
In response to Jacqueline, I did recommend to her over the phone 2-3 PT's who could help her that live in Pennsylvania and NYC. Each of those contacts has a network that they might be able to recommend a PT in her area.
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