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Health

How do I Choose the Best Exercise Ball Pump?

By T. Broderick
Updated Feb 18, 2024
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Like the tires on a car, an exercise ball will naturally lose air over time. To keep your exercise ball properly inflated, you need an exercise ball pump. Many types of pumps exist. You need to consider a few things in order to make the right purchase: the size of your exercise ball, where you will use the exercise ball and your current health. Keeping these things in mind, along with shopping around, ensures that you will buy the exercise ball pump that is right for you.

Exercise balls vary in size from 18-33 inches (45-85 cm), so certain exercise ball pumps are appropriate for small exercise balls but not for large ones. For example, inflating a smaller ball with a simple hand pump is a relatively easy procedure. With larger exercise balls, though, a hand pump requires more strokes and time. For larger exercise balls, a floor air pump or electric air pump will do the job faster. The latter requires no physical effort and will inflate a large exercise ball in less than a minute.

Where you will use your exercise ball plays a large role in determining the best exercise ball pump. If you will use your exercise ball only at home, any pump is fine. Yet if you use your exercise pump at a gym or other public place, pump portability becomes a factor. Hand pumps are the most portable option. If money is not an issue, you might want to consider buying two pumps: a floor air pump or electric pump for use at home and a hand pump to perform minor adjustments after you have arrived at your destination.

Do not forget to consider your current health when choosing an exercise ball pump. If you are using your exercise ball for physical therapy, your physical therapist or doctor might advise you against performing the movements necessary to work a hand pump or floor air pump. Make sure to discuss any health issues that you have with your physical therapist or doctor before purchasing a pump.

After you have decided on the type of exercise ball pump that is right for you, it is always wise to shop around before buying. See what other people are saying online by checking the reviews section of product websites. Doing this will help you determine which manufacturers are making the most reliable product. Visiting a retail store is another option that has the added benefit of allowing you to compare prices on the spot. Some stores might allow you to test the pumps as well.

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Discussion Comments

By summing — On Apr 30, 2012

There are actually gym ball exercise that are better to do on exercise balls that do not have as much air in them. Other exercises depend on having fully or even overinflated balls which will provide the maximum amount of support.

I have seen people do exercise ball workouts where they will stand on two exercise balls or use them in other ways to provide a dynamic source of balance while they were doing their lifts. The balls tended to be less inflated so that the feet and arms can find more purchase pressing up against the ball.

By jonrss — On Apr 30, 2012

I bought an uninflated exercise from a sporting goods store a few years ago. I guess at the store I figured that it either included a pump or that I could blow it up myself like you would with a balloon. Obviously, I wasn't really thinking about it. I just new that I wanted one of the fitness exercise balls that I had seen so much of on TV.

Well, I got it home and realized that there was no way to pump it up without a specialized pump that was not included. So I had to go back to the store and shell out another $20 bucks. I felt pretty cheated.

By tigers88 — On Apr 30, 2012

In almost all cases you will never need to take a medicine ball pump with you to the gym. Any gym that is properly managed takes responsibility for keeping the facilities, machines and equipment well maintained. This is a basic part of customer service and also an important safety precaution. Poorly inflated exercise balls are more likely to pop which can lead to serious injury.

I know that I worked in a gym for about a year and we put air into our exercise balls every week at least. Most of the people that worked there also worked out there so if something was not working properly they were bound to notice.

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