Prone Ball Stabilization - Ipsilateral Arm and Leg

Professional Rationale
A good ball stabilization exercise that helps the patient engage the TA in an unstable environment, and the further challenge of leg motion to decrease the base of support, help to dissociate the extremities from the trunk, and promote postural neuromuscular firing patterns by having the patient on the ball. The patient must be able to stabilize on the ball efficiently enough to gain strength and stabilize rather than increasing joint and disc load.

Client Rationale
This is a ball stabilzation exercise that is a nice progression from 4 point. Your ability to stabilize your trunk is further challenged by being on an unstable surface (the ball) vs. a stable surface (the floor). In raising your extremities, you are teaching your body to move the arm while staying stable in your trunk, or core, and also you are decreasing your base of support by taking one of the 4 points of weightbearing away. This challenges your stability and promotes functional strengthening by having the muscles of the back fire in a cross pattern. It is often helpful to lay a dowel or cane across your back, as in the event that you move your spine and aren't stabilizing properly, the dowel will move or fall off of your back as your raise your extremities.



Instructions

• Return, and raise left arm and leg in the same way.
• Breathe.
• Keep your head in a neutral position.
• Position yourself hips and stomach on the ball.
• Place your hands directly beneath your shoulder.
• Keep your back flat and in neutral.
• Have weight evenly distributed throughout your hands, feet, and stomach.
• Tighten you lower abdominals without allowing your lower back to move.
• Raise right arm and leg without extending your back.
• Do not extend your back.
• Do not look forward.
• Do not allow yourself to twist or turn on the ball.
• Do not hold your breath.
• Do not allow low back to move.

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