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Swiss Ball Exercises for Swimming



Safely done with physiotherapeutic feedback

The aim is to maintain and increase trunk stability, therefore the bridging position may need to be held as long as the particular swimming discipline takes


Engage lateral breathing of the lower chest wall, as this will allow the diaphragm to reach it's full potential and enable the transverse abdominis to work synchronously as a low back stabiliser.  Recently, it has been proposed that lateral breathing can increase soft tissue compliance as well as improve blood flow to areas being stretched and exercised.  Therefore, an aim of the Swiss Ball exercises may be to increase thoracic spine mobility.


Importantly, therapeutic exercise may need to be performed prior to a Swiss Ball regime, as the global mobilising muscles should not take on the role of tonic stabilisers.  The role of tonic stabilisation should be confined to the deep hip and back muscles.  Hence, an aim of the Swiss Ball regime may be to increase the efficiency of the global muscles by teaching them how to switch on and off. Ideally, recruitment of the global muscles for endurance training should be below 70%MVC.  If the subject recruits too much then the relaxation time will increase, which will then alter the timing of contraction between all the muscles.

 

Good form is critical to performance.  The deep stabilisers (eg transverse abdominis, iliacus, medial psoas major, piriformis, obturators) are low threshold endurance muscles that are recruited at 10-20%MVC.  Control in a more stable configuration needs to be achieved before there is progression to the Swiss Ball.

 

for breaststroke/may be modified for freestyle

chin tuck neck-shoulder muscle exercise: deep neck flexors should be recruited (not sternocleidomastoid)

kick control over trunk rotation (note the loss of the spinal neutral position with right rotation - poor form!!)

 

to other Swiss Ball and Hydrotherapy exercises

Last update : 22 July 2006




No responsibility is assumed by Back in Business Physiotherapy for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of product liability, negligence, or from any use of any methods, products, instruction, or ideas contained in the material in this and it's related websites. Because of rapid advances in the medical sciences, the author recommends that there should be independent verification of diagnoses and exercise prescription. The information provided on Back in Business Physiotherapy is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between a patient/site visitor and their treating health professional.

Copyright Martin Krause 1999 - material is presented as a free educational resource however all intellectual property rights should be acknowledged and respected




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