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Pro Athlete Has His Bubble Burst by Exercise Ball

By Pierce Egerton

Working out carries a lot of risks for injury, especially if you're using heavy weights. But what about when a piece of exercise equipment malfunctions while you're using it properly? We take for granted that the machines and products we work out with are built to last, but sometimes that's not the case.

The Sacramento Kings found this out the hard way. Starting forward Francisco Garcia will miss at least four months of the season after an exercise ball accident broke his right wrist. Garcia, who weighs 195 pounds, was laying on his back on an exercise ball, lifting 90 pound weights in each hand, when the ball burst. Professional quality exercise balls have a weight limit of up to 600 pounds.

Exercise balls should deflate slowly instead of bursting, even if they're punctured. Check out this video to see the way an exercise ball should and shouldn't deflate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4Ig0Izz23s

Reportedly, Garcia was using a Gymnic brand exercise ball. Their site has recently started advertising a new 'burst-resistant' line of exercise balls.

With Garcia's contract worth $29.6 million over 5 years, the Kings management is considering legal action and warning other teams not to use the balls.

It's not just NBA players who are at risk, though. A faulty piece of exercise equipment can send you to the hospital and make you miss time from work. People assume that if they get hurt working out, it's their own fault, but that's not always the case. Always make sure you're using your equipment properly, but if that equipment malfunctions, make sure someone knows it.

Has anyone else experienced problems with an exercise ball bursting? Leave a comment if you have. I'd like to know just how widespread this problem is.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Pierce Egerton

Full post as published by Greensboro Personal Injury Lawyer on November 11, 2009 (boomark / email).