5 Activities to do with a Dyna Disc
One of our favorite pieces of equipment to use in the gym is a dyna disc! This might be an item you have around the house that is part of your exercise equipment, and is an inexpensive tool that helps create big improvements in your child’s therapy goals. Today we are showing you some exercises we do in the gym that you can recreate right in your living room!
What does a Dyna Disc do?
Dyna discs are air filled discs that help challenge your core and leg muscles because they make an uneven surface for you to sit, kneel, or stand on. They help to strengthen muscles while helping you practice on your balance. Although we don’t normally see dyna discs in everyday life, they help to recreate the feeling of being on an uneven surface that you might encounter every day! Some of these examples include running through the grass, walking on a trail, or walking from one surface to the next like hardwood to carpet.
Try at home exercises:
Check out our video for a demonstration of each exercise!
- Sitting on a dyna disc: Placing the dyna disc directly on the chair can help provide a wobbly surface to sit on. This challenges your core muscles to stay active and make sure you stay upright and in the seated position. This activity is great for friends who like to slouch in their chair because the constant movement of the surface below them helps them to stay engaged.
- Tall kneeling on a dyna disc: This can be done while you are playing a game at a surface and helps your core, back, and leg muscles stay engaged to keep up in an upright position. Make sure not to lean on the surface in front of you with your body so you can keep your muscles working!
- ½ kneel on a dyna disc: ½ kneeling is a great position to help us understand that our body is divided into a left and right side. Placing your front foot on the dyna disc helps to further challenge those who have already mastered the skill of ½ kneel. Try playing catch with a ball in this position for an even bigger challenge.
- Standing with 1 foot on a dyna disc: Standing with one foot on a raised surface is a precursor to being able to stand on one foot. This exercise helps strengthen the muscles in your leg that is not on the disc in order to help you stand on one foot.
- Squat to stand on a dyna disc: Squatting down to pick up pieces of a toy and place them on a higher surface requires your entire body and doing so on a dyna disc helps to further challenge your balance and build those core and leg muscles!
All of these exercises can also be recreated at home with a pillow or a couch cushion if a dyna disc is not available. Have a balance challenge on the dyna disc of your own? Let us know what you’ve created!
For more activity ideas from our PT team, check us out on social media!
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