Skip to main content

We want to briefly discuss the other types of balance / stability boards. This is not meant to underscore or disparage them whatsoever. It’s only to differentiate the primary functions and operations.

STRONGBOARD VS. AIR-FILLED BLADDERS

There are many differences between StrongBoard Balance and air-filled bladders such as Bosu™, Terra Core™ and Step 360™.

Standing on a dome is good for foot and ankle strength, but it’s not a great fitness or performance tool. The foot and ankle position, when curved around a dome, don’t translate to overall, every day movement. While the 360 does have a flat surface, it does not provide the rate of change or rotational movement that everyday movement requires.

Users will always compete with the amount of air in the bladder for range of motion.

Standing on the dome of a bladder causes supination of joints and does not mimic any real life movements. Has anyone ever used Bosu upside down? Tried getting on or off? The manufacturer has imprinted “do not stand on this side” because it is not recommended.

These products do train your central nervous system but dome balls and foam pads were really designed by physical therapists for rehab purposes and not really as a performance tool. These tools work primarily with the muscles of the feet and ankle more than any other muscles.

Most of these products come with a limited 90 day warranty. StrongBoard Balance offers a 3-year manufacturer’s warranty.

  

Comparing StrongBoard

Other than BOSU, does anyone use any other balance platforms professionally?

STRONGBOARD VS. REEBOK CORE BOARD

Reebok CoreBoard moves right to left and front to back and it does rotate fractionally but the movement is extremely stiff. Core Board is an “actionary” or force-driven board meaning it doesn’t provide feedback or reactionary force or instability. Everything is user driven. StrongBoard forces the user to react to their bodyweight, angle and the springs. It’s hard to make improvements on proprioception or reaction time if there’s no involuntary reaction required.

STRONGBOARD VS. INDO BOARD

Indo Board is made for extreme athletes only and is very dangerous for most other demographics. It does not compress but does offer users extreme lateral movement from left to right. This means it does not not offer movement in the transverse plane and zero rotational movement.

STRONGBOARD VS. WOBBLE BOARD

Wobble boards are generally round, flat platforms with a firm ball in the middle (not air filled). They sit low to the ground and teeter back and forth in all directions offering instability, especially at the ankle joint. They are a great tool for what they were designed for, rehabilitation but they are not a performance tool and they do not offer feedback or reactionary force.

 

STRONGBOARD VS. SIMPLY FIT BOARD

The Simply Fit™ board is a curved device, usually made of wood or plastic. They sit low to the ground and allow a user to teeter back and forth, right to left. They do allow for rotational movements but are linear and action driven, and do not offer feedback or reactionary force.