ABS® – The original: worth knowing about gymnastic ball

It is a well known fact that a large exercise ball, which is also known as a sit ball, swiss ball or fitness ball, is ideal for training the back and trunk muscles as well as for back-friendly sitting in everyday life. It is less well known however, that all conventional gymnastic balls can burst suddenly when damaged during use. There is a significant risk of injury for the user of such balls.

Unfortunately, this also often applies to so-called anti-burst balls, which are carelessly advertised as being safe from bursting.

The term anti-burst or anti-burst system is not protected. It is therefore often misleadingly used by manufacturers who are not producing guaranteed burst proof balls in the true sense. Their balls can still burst in case of a damage during use which is dangerous to the  user’s health if he or she suddenly falls to the ground.

Prevailing case law (see liability issue https://openjur.de/u/354693.html) delegates the explicit responsibility to the professional user to use burst proof gymnastic balls for his customers or patients (in the verdict designated as “berstsicher”)

A promotional claim alone does not provide you with any protection. The liability risk remains with you even after the damage has been settled with your insurance. The insurance still can recourse several years after the settlement, if evidently no burst proof ball was used. Make sure to get this proof through our guarantee and the use of an Original ABS® Exercise Ball.

TOGU invented the burst proof gymnastic ball with a special material mix (Pat. No.4434889.4, U.S.Pat.No.5766707) under the brand name ABS® and further developed it for all areas of use, ranging from the play equipment to the training device for top athletes. The difference: TOGU guarantees burst proof safety as the only provider of the safest alternative on the market.

How you profit twice: You protect the health of your customers while we assume the liability risk for you as a manufacturer located in Germany at the same time.

For intensive and permanent use we recommend to you to replace the balls after 2 years maximum. It is best to mark your balls with the date of first use.

The Original ABS® balls are the only gymnastic balls with the AGR seal of approval: tested and recommended by the Forum: Gesunder Rücken – besser leben e.V. and the Federal Association of German Back Schools (BdR) e.V.

From practice: Interview with Michaela Kreitmair, physiotherapist of the German Biathlon National Team

Question: You work with the ABS balls. Why?
In my work, there were always situations in which balls have burst during use. So I set out to find a safe alternative. And I found it only in TOGU ABS® models.
I always ask my patients: Would you drive without an airbag? Here, using a security system is completely normal.

Question: What is the difference to other balls?
When I saw the Powerball with the original ABS® for the first time, I immediately recognized the difference to an ordinary gym ball. The surface is grippier and duller. The material feels much more robust.
When damaged by objects such as e.g. sharp edges, needles, glass splinters, scissors, etc. prevents the specially developed material a sudden tearing of the ball. The air passes slowly through the hole. A burst is excluded and injuries due to an unexpected fall are avoided.
The static load limit (often 500 kg or more) is the value above which a ball bursts spontaneously without damage. However, this value does not allow any conclusions about the bursting safety of the ball. Namely, a ball with a static load limit of 500 kg or more will burst at a dynamic load of only 60 kg and a simultaneous damage. The ABS® balls, on the other hand, are designed to not burst when subjected to dynamic loading and simultaneous damage.
Therefore, the ABS® balls have two weight limit values: the static load limit and, in addition, the load limit for dynamic use in the event of damage. This additional warranty is provided only by the original ABS®. The static load does not occur in everyday practice. A ball is always used dynamically and charged.

Question: Why do I read on conventional balls that they are space-safe or “burst-resistant”?
Here it pays to read the fine print in the instructions for use. Pay attention to the sign ABS®. Only then is the AGR-certified original ball from TOGU. Often the space security is excluded, for example, in the event of damage in the instructions again. You can compare that to the ratio of a wristwatch that is “water-resistant” or “water-proof”. TOGU’s ABS® Ball is “burst-proof”.

Question: Is it true that ABS balls are deforming?
Yes, that is the special characteristic of the material. Depending on the load, the ball deforms a little more or less. This means: Only a deforming ball is guaranteed a safe place ball. After application, the ball goes back into the round shape.

Question: What else do you have to consider?
Important for the guaranteed functioning of the safety system is already the correct inflation in two steps and that the ball is ready for use only 24 hours after pumping up. This is more complex than traditional balls, but pays off for you and your patients.

Question: For whom are these special balls suitable?
The balls with anti-burst material are ideal for all users who place their priority on safety. Regardless of what they use the ball for. Whether professional footballer, pregnant women, weightlifters, seniors, children, …

Question: Is safety the only advantage?
The material is very skin-friendly, latex-free and contains no banned plasticizers. In addition, I support a sustainable product from the region, which incidentally is 100% recyclable. The TOGU GmbH is a specialist in air-filled training and therapy equipment and has been producing for over 60 years in Prien am Chiemsee, Germany.