Best stability ball for Pilates and sitting?

Hi there,

My girlfriend is dealing with some spinal issues, so I picked up a large stability ball for her to use for Pilates. I was thinking she could sit on it while she studies; up until now, she’s just been sitting on her bed, which has been causing her all kinds of pain in both her lower back and her neck.
So, here’s my question:
How firm should I inflate this thing? What kind of pressure are we talking about? The woman at the store where I bought it just told me to "test it by feel," but I’d really like a rough idea of how hard it actually needs to be, since... honestly, I have no clue lol.
Also, if anyone has any tips, tricks, or general advice, please share them. 🙂
Thanks, and cheers
Roger Smith6

Roger Smith6 said:hey

My girlfriend is dealing with some spinal issues, so I picked up a large pilates ball for her. The idea is for her to sit on it while she studies, since sitting on her bed was causing her constant neck and back pain.
So, here’s the question:
How much should I inflate this thing? What pressure are we talking about? The woman at the shop where I bought it just said, "just feel it," but I want a rough idea of how firm it actually needs to be, because... honestly, I have no clue lol.
Also, if anyone has any tips, tricks, or advice, please share. 🙂
Thanks, cheers.
Roger Smith6

You actually have the exact same topic over in the fitness and sports gear section under pilates balls...

Just use a hand pump and fill it up. If she plans on sitting on it for long periods during the day, pump it up until it's nearly full. You could even use a tape measure to check the diameter once you're done and compare it to what the box says. I hope you got the right size, though, because height matters a lot here. To be honest, I'm not entirely sure how smart it is to use a ball as a permanent study chair... It's great for desk work, writing, or using a computer. I've been using mine for almost three months now and it's awesome—I also use it for my daily workouts—but maybe she could switch things up by studying lying down on her stomach or something. cheers!

I went ahead and pumped mine up all the way to the max. My reasoning was that once you actually start using it, the rubber stretches out just right and it sort of "settles in," if you know what I mean. After a few days, it reaches that sweet spot—it feels a little softer, but it's fine.

Roger Smith6 said:Hey there

My girlfriend is dealing with some spinal issues, so I picked up a large stability ball for her to use during study sessions. She’s been sitting on her bed lately and it’s just killing her back and neck.
So, here's my question:
How much should I actually inflate this thing? The lady at the shop where I bought it just told me to "feel it out," but I'd love a rough idea of how firm it should be... honestly, I'm a bit lost lol.
Also, if anyone has any tips, tricks, or general advice, please let me know! 🙂
Thanks and cheers,
Roger Smith6

The ball needs to be inflated to its intended size. If the ball is rated for 55 cm, you should pump it up until it hits 55 cm. It seems like people at the local gym never quite grasp this, which is why you always see those half-deflated balls lying around. 😢

And regarding tips—there aren't really any shortcuts. It’ll probably be a struggle for her at first, but her muscles will adapt quickly, and it's definitely the healthier way to go.

The manual actually suggests grabbing a tape measure, marking 55cm on the wall, and then just checking the ball against that while you pump it up. 👍