Guest guest Posted February 12, 2004 Report Share Posted February 12, 2004 Making a functioning wobble board is not as easy as it looks. Worth trying if you are talented, have tools, etc. But then maybe I'm just not imaginative enough--there MUST be some simple, easy way to make one! A friend helped me make one, just with stuff we found at Home Depot (big wharehouse-type hardware/home improvement store in western U.S.-- maybe elsewhere) They sell these small round boards (I think they are meant to be used as table-tops). For the ball we got these wooden things designed to put on top of stair bannisters. You saw off the bannister-tops (and cutting straight across them is harder then it looks--if you don't get it right you end up with a board that wobbles in ways you don't want and then try to put a bolt in the exact center. Also, you try to locate the center of round board and put a something in a metal receptacle for the bolt in the bannister-ball (not necessary to use the metal receptacle if you are making a " fixed " wobble board, but our intension was to have an adjustable one that you adjusted by srewing in different-sized balls. We used two balls--one (the one which is probably about the right length) ended up too crooked to use. The other creates too steep an angle (I guess my calculations were a bit off, oops). I can use it with two feet, but only by wobbling my torso a bit and the idea is to make your ankle do all the work. So lately the only use the board has seen is for me to turn it upside down and use the wooden ball for pressure point massage of my glutes. (works good for that!) Hmm, something I should try is to take a bunch of cardboard from boxes and put a hole in the center for the wooden ball, so the wooden ball is on the floor and the edge of the wobble board is against the cardboard--that might work OK to moderate the angle. > OK, now I'm fascinated by the wobble board and how it might help those of us with knee problems. > > I tried standing (on the floor) on one foot (the " bad " leg) and the other foot, and -- I forget who said this, but she was right -- my good leg has better balance. > > In case any of you are tempted to try a wobble board, I found a list of exercises to do on them (from www.sportsinjuryclinic.com) : > > Wobble Board Exercises > (starting easy and getting harder) > > 1. Whilst sitting down place the wobble board under the feet and slowly rotate it a number of times in each direction. > > 2. Stand on the wobble board, feet shoulder width apart. Hold on to a chair for support if needed and rock the board forwards and backwards, then side to side. Do this for 2 to 3 minutes. > > 3. Stand on the wobble board, feet shoulder width apart. Rotate the wobble board round so that the edge of the board is in contact with the floor at all times. Again try this for 2 to 3 minutes. > > 4. Stand on the wobble balance board, again feet shoulder width apart - no chair allowed! Rock the board front to back for 1 minute then side to side for one minute. > > 5. Balance on the wobble board for as long as you can without the edges touching the floor. Aim for over 2 minutes without touching the floor. > > 6. Rotate the wobble board in a circle but do not allow the edge of the board to touch the floor. Aim for 2 minutes. > > 7. Stand on the wobble board with one leg. Rock the board from front to back for 1 minute and then side to side for 1 minute. > > 8. Again stand on the wobble board with one leg only. Rotate the board in a circular motion in one direction for 1 minute then repeat in the other direction. > > 9. Try to balance on the wobble board with one leg only! How long can you go for? > > 10. When you have mastered all of the above you should have strong stable ankles and be an expert. Now try it all with your eyes closed!! > > There's GOT to be a way to make one of these. It's just a round board with a half-ball attached to the bottom. Any suggestions on the half-ball? It should be of a hard material, I think. > > I found an " economy " board for $29.95 (or $19.95 if you buy two). http://store./exertools/btecwobo.html They come in 3 heights (shown as angles to the floor at rest). This info should allow people who want to make one to determine how thick the half- ball should be (if you can remember your trig). Oh. Here -- this makes it easier -- http://www.therapyzone.com/tz.asp? wci=catalogset & ID=74050_15_00 says the " riser " (ball) is 1 1/2 " for a 12 degree (angle with the floor at rest) board. Their price is $30.56. > > Bioengineering-wise I wonder if it matters if the " riser " is a complete hemisphere or only part of one. Any thoughts, anybody? > > Ann > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 12, 2004 Report Share Posted February 12, 2004 >You saw off the bannister-tops (and cutting straight across them is >harder then it looks-- Yeah, all I have is a circular saw. Did you do it with a table saw? How about first sawing the " end " off the ball so you have a round (but not perfectly hemispherical) thing with a flat bottom so you can set the bottom against the table saw guide, then set the table saw blade to saw where the " equator " actually is. So now I have to go out & buy a table saw to save $20 on a wobble board. I think I'll just buy one. >if you don't get it right you end up with a >board that wobbles in ways you don't want and then try to put a bolt >in the exact center. I was thinking of attaching a square piece of plywood to the flat side of the half-ball, then screwing that into the circular piece. >Also, you try to locate the center of round >board and put a something in a metal receptacle for the bolt in the >bannister-ball (not necessary to use the metal receptacle if you are >making a " fixed " wobble board, but our intension was to have an >adjustable one that you adjusted by srewing in different-sized balls. >We used two balls--one (the one which is probably about the right >length) ended up too crooked to use. The other creates too steep an >angle (I guess my calculations were a bit off, oops). What you were trying to make is a BAP board. Those things cost over $300!! I used one in PT many years ago. >I can use it with two feet, but only by wobbling my torso a bit and >the idea is to make your ankle do all the work. Yep, I'm feeling more & more like buying a ready-made one. >So lately the only >use the board has seen is for me to turn it upside down and use the >wooden ball for pressure point massage of my glutes. (works good for >that!) ROTFL! >Hmm, something I should try is to take a bunch of cardboard from >boxes and put a hole in the center for the wooden ball, so the wooden >ball is on the floor and the edge of the wobble board is against the >cardboard--that might work OK to moderate the angle. Why do you need to change the angle? Do you feel a need for it at this point? It seemed to me that the steeper the angle, the more " advanced " the person using it was. Ann > OK, now I'm fascinated by the wobble board and how it might help those of us with knee problems. > > I tried standing (on the floor) on one foot (the " bad " leg) and the other foot, and -- I forget who said this, but she was right -- my good leg has better balance. > > In case any of you are tempted to try a wobble board, I found a list of exercises to do on them (from www.sportsinjuryclinic.com) : > > Wobble Board Exercises > (starting easy and getting harder) > > 1. Whilst sitting down place the wobble board under the feet and slowly rotate it a number of times in each direction. > > 2. Stand on the wobble board, feet shoulder width apart. Hold on to a chair for support if needed and rock the board forwards and backwards, then side to side. Do this for 2 to 3 minutes. > > 3. Stand on the wobble board, feet shoulder width apart. Rotate the wobble board round so that the edge of the board is in contact with the floor at all times. Again try this for 2 to 3 minutes. > > 4. Stand on the wobble balance board, again feet shoulder width apart - no chair allowed! Rock the board front to back for 1 minute then side to side for one minute. > > 5. Balance on the wobble board for as long as you can without the edges touching the floor. Aim for over 2 minutes without touching the floor. > > 6. Rotate the wobble board in a circle but do not allow the edge of the board to touch the floor. Aim for 2 minutes. > > 7. Stand on the wobble board with one leg. Rock the board from front to back for 1 minute and then side to side for 1 minute. > > 8. Again stand on the wobble board with one leg only. Rotate the board in a circular motion in one direction for 1 minute then repeat in the other direction. > > 9. Try to balance on the wobble board with one leg only! How long can you go for? > > 10. When you have mastered all of the above you should have strong stable ankles and be an expert. Now try it all with your eyes closed!! > > There's GOT to be a way to make one of these. It's just a round board with a half-ball attached to the bottom. Any suggestions on the half-ball? It should be of a hard material, I think. > > I found an " economy " board for $29.95 (or $19.95 if you buy two). http://store./exertools/btecwobo.html They come in 3 heights (shown as angles to the floor at rest). This info should allow people who want to make one to determine how thick the half- ball should be (if you can remember your trig). Oh. Here -- this makes it easier -- http://www.therapyzone.com/tz.asp? wci=catalogset & ID=74050_15_00 says the " riser " (ball) is 1 1/2 " for a 12 degree (angle with the floor at rest) board. Their price is $30.56. > > Bioengineering-wise I wonder if it matters if the " riser " is a complete hemisphere or only part of one. Any thoughts, anybody? > > Ann > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 13, 2004 Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 >>>>>>>>>Yeah, all I have is a circular saw. Did you do it with a table saw? How about first sawing the " end " off the ball so you have a round (but not perfectly hemispherical) thing with a flat bottom so you can set the bottom against the table saw guide, then set the table saw blade to saw where the " equator " actually is. So now I have to go out & buy a table saw to save $20 on a wobble board. I think I'll just buy one. I think it was a table saw. My friend had all kinds of tools, etc. >>>>>>>What you were trying to make is a BAP board. Those things cost over $300!! I used one in PT many years ago. What is a BAP board? How is it different from a regular board. Is it more variable. The $60 ones seem to have 3 settings at 2 degree intervals. Mine would have been infinitely variable (well assuming I sawed up an infinite number of bannister tops! :-) > > >I can use it with two feet, but only by wobbling my torso a bit and > >the idea is to make your ankle do all the work. > > Yep, I'm feeling more & more like buying a ready-made one. Yeah, the materials cost somewhere just under $20 and it took 2 people 2 hours and I wasn't that happy with the results so I it didnt' even pay off well in satisfaction. > >So lately the only > >use the board has seen is for me to turn it upside down and use the > >wooden ball for pressure point massage of my glutes. (works good for > >that!) > > ROTFL! > > >Hmm, something I should try is to take a bunch of cardboard from > >boxes and put a hole in the center for the wooden ball, so the wooden > >ball is on the floor and the edge of the wobble board is against the > >cardboard--that might work OK to moderate the angle. > > Why do you need to change the angle? Do you feel a need for it at this point? It seemed to me that the steeper the angle, the more " advanced " the person using it was. > Ann I wanted to be able to adjust it because I wasn't even sure what the best angle would be to start with. And persumably (unless you're able to start at the maximum possible flexion of your ankle!) you'd want to improve and start using higher angles. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 13, 2004 Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 >>>>>>>What you were trying to make is a BAP board. Those things cost over $300!! I used one in PT many years ago. What is a BAP board? How is it different from a regular board. Is it more variable. The $60 ones seem to have 3 settings at 2 degree intervals. Mine would have been infinitely variable (well assuming I sawed up an infinite number of bannister tops! :-) Well, I haven't used a wobble board, but the BAP I used was made on what I think is the same principle as the wobble. It has maybe 5 different half-balls you can screw onto it. It was larger in dia. than the wobbles I've seen on line. Here's a BAP: http://www.promedproducts.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY & Store_Code=PP & Ca\ tegory_Code=BB scroll down about 1/4 of the way. Note how he's not standing with his weight centered to the board. > > >Hmm, something I should try is to take a bunch of cardboard from > >boxes and put a hole in the center for the wooden ball, so the wooden > >ball is on the floor and the edge of the wobble board is against the > >cardboard--that might work OK to moderate the angle. > > Why do you need to change the angle? Do you feel a need for it at this point? It seemed to me that the steeper the angle, the more " advanced " the person using it was. > Ann I wanted to be able to adjust it because I wasn't even sure what the best angle would be to start with. And persumably (unless you're able to start at the maximum possible flexion of your ankle!) you'd want to improve and start using higher angles. One site said 9 degrees was the beginner's angle. I'm sorry I don't remember the other angles but they weren't much different, like 2 degrees difference between each level of abiity. So your idea is get the most advanced one and make a " template " thick enough to bring the angle down to beginner. Clever. Ann > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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