Exercise Ball for Pregnant Women: When to Exercise, Recommended Exercises

Maintaining good physical fitness throughout the entire nine months of pregnancy is very important for every pregnant woman. However, when in this condition, exercise routines must be chosen very carefully, taking into account all the physiological aspects of the expectant mother’s health and only after consulting with the gynecologist overseeing the pregnancy.

Pregnancy exercise on a fitness ball is very popular among doctors and trainers as it has an exclusively positive effect on the woman’s body. These exercises offer pregnant women the opportunity to gently keep their bodies in shape and safely prepare for upcoming childbirth, ensuring good mood and well-being.

What is a Fitball

A fitball is a piece of sports equipment that resembles a large ball, used for performing special gymnastic exercises. It is made from polyvinyl chloride and a special high-strength latex. Fitballs for pregnant women are manufactured using a special technology that incorporates the Anti-Burst System, allowing it to deflate rather than explode if damaged. The other name for a fitball is a Swiss ball, as this piece of sports equipment was invented in Switzerland.

Swiss balls are classified by type, size, and shape. High-quality sports equipment should appear ribbed and porous on the outside. This not only allows for effective exercise on the equipment, but also prevents dirt and sweat from accumulating on its surface. Additionally, such gym balls provide a beneficial light massage effect.

What are the benefits of exercises on a fitball

Recently, ball gymnastics has gained great popularity because exercises on a fitball for pregnant women provide undeniable benefits, as they:

• stabilizes heartbeat and helps strengthen blood vessels;
• reduces muscle tone around the spine;
• prepares the perineal muscle tissue, thereby minimizing the risk of injury during childbirth;
• promotes correct posture, relieving the spine;
• activates the circulatory system, providing full oxygenation for the pregnant woman and her future baby;
• prevents the development of kidney pathologies, urinary system issues, and hemorrhoids;
• prevents disorders of the natural support of pelvic organs, especially the uterus.

When Exercises on a Fitness Ball Are Recommended

Fitness ball exercises will bring undeniable benefits for pregnant women when the following is needed:

• strengthen the muscles of the thighs, perineum, abdomen, and back;
• reduce pain in the back and lower back, relieve tension;
• normalize blood circulation in the pelvic area;
• improve sense of balance;
• perform Kegel exercises to develop vaginal muscles, which play an important role in the childbirth process;
• speed up the recovery of the reproductive organs after childbirth;
• improve the mobility of the hip joints and pelvis ligaments;
• ease labor contractions.

Additionally, exercises on a fitness ball for pregnant women help learn to relax, alternate between relaxation and muscle load in preparation for childbirth. Many pregnant women prefer to experience labor contractions using a fitness ball. This significantly eases the overall condition of the expectant mother by reducing stress on the spine and relaxing the pelvic floor muscles.

When you shouldn’t train on a fitness ball

There are not many contraindications for pregnant women exercising on a fitness ball, but they do exist. Therefore, before using it for physical activity,

it is essential to consult with the gynecologist overseeing the pregnancy. In cases of miscarriage risk, cervical insufficiency, increased uterine tone, certain developmental pathologies, and pregnancy complications, exercise on the ball is generally contraindicated.

Exercises on a fitness ball for pregnant women are undesirable in the presence of diagnosed chronic diseases of internal organs and the musculoskeletal system. Thus, if a woman does not have serious health problems that are reasons to exclude physical activity, and the doctor does not mind such activities, she can start exercising on a fitness ball for pregnant women.

A set of gymnastic exercises on a fitness ball for pregnant women

Pregnant women can start doing fitball exercises from the 1st trimester, increase intensity in the 2nd trimester and continue the workout until the very end of the 3rd trimester.

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Recommended routines may include exercises for different muscle groups.

Among them is gymnastics for the lower back and back while sitting on the ball:

• with hands resting on the fitball, perform forward-backward, left-right movements, circular pelvic motions clockwise and counterclockwise to relax pelvic and lower back muscles in the 3rd trimester, reduce pain during contractions, and promote increased cervical elasticity;
• with legs spread wide, twist the torso left and right trying to reach the opposite foot’s toes to stretch the lower back muscles.

Strengthen chest, arm, and leg muscles by repeatedly performing exercises with rest intervals – standing, squeezing the ball in extended hands in front of you; sitting on the floor, squeezing the ball as strongly as possible with your knees.

Exercises for Other Muscle Groups

At the end of the 1st trimester and throughout the 2nd trimester, pregnant women can successfully use a fitball to strengthen the shoulder muscles and spine. To do this, stand in front of the ball without lifting your feet off the floor, lean forward, and roll the fitball away from yourself, then back, while maximizing the stretch of the shoulder girdle, back, and spine muscles.

To improve the stretch of the thighs, strengthen the gluteal muscles, and increase joint mobility, perform the following pregnancy exercises on a fitball. 

Lean your chest on the fitball, place your hands on it and rest your chin on them. Then, kneeling, perform alternate upward leg swings with the right and left legs. The amplitude of the swings should be as wide as possible.

Relaxation Exercises

To relax, the exercise routine on a fitball for pregnant women includes a position sitting on knees on the floor while resting the chest on the ball. To perform the exercise, hug the fitball with your arms, completely relaxing the back muscles and arching the back. Full relaxation serves to deepen breathing, thus promoting oxygen flow to the placenta and improving blood circulation.

This situation positively affects the condition of the fetus. Such a pose helps with relaxation between labor contractions, providing short-term rest to tense muscles. These relaxation skills will be very useful during childbirth, as being able to relax in labor is just as important as learning to push correctly and in time.

How to choose a fitball

The key to successful fitball exercises for pregnant women is the correct choice of sports equipment. The main criteria for selection are the diameter of the ball and the woman’s height. The diameter of the fitball for pregnant women up to 150 cm tall should be no more than 45 cm, if the height ranges between 150-160 cm – 55 cm, and women over 165 cm will suit a fitball with a diameter of 65 cm. The fitball size is considered optimal for pregnant women if, while sitting on it with knees bent at a right angle, the woman can fully place her feet on the floor. 

An important parameter is also the firmness of the Swiss ball, which can be determined by bouncing while sitting on it. It should only be inflated to the size indicated on the package to ensure the effectiveness of fitball exercises for pregnant women. Special “handles” provide convenience during exercises and make it easy to carry the ball. The color of the fitball should be pleasing to the woman.