The SPINEFITTER by SISSEL® is a versatile training device. It is used to improve spinal and joint mobility and to relieve tension, shoulder and neck pain and back pain. The manufacturer SISSEL developed the SPINEFITTER based on the experience of physiotherapists, osteopaths and Pilates trainers. And what does it look like in practice? The qualified Pilates trainer and therapist Beatrice Eggimann tested the SPINEFITTER. 

Test report by Beatrice Eggimann

I open the package with joy - the new SPINEFITTER has arrived and I'm curious to try it out straight away. Intuitively, I lie on it lengthways and feel the effective massage effect on my back extensor muscles. At the same time, I also notice the differences between my right and left side - I know that I am not "yet" fully balanced and that I now have a new tool to help me balance my body more. 

Lying on the SPINEFITTER and just breathing is wonderful - movements such as rolling the pelvis up and down reinforce the effect on the spine. This small prop is particularly beneficial when the facet joints are not moving optimally, as well as for back pain and tension. I play with the arms - lifting and lowering / opening and closing - a great massage for the shoulder area and tissue, and at the same time an opening across the front and the front arm chain. I already know that all my customers with shoulder and neck tension will love it. I also love the side position on the SPINEFITTER. The stimulation and massage provided by the balls on the outside of the thighs - which tend to get stuck there - and being able to perform exercises in this position is a new experience. If I place the SPINEFITTER crosswise under my shoulders, I can easily reach my thoracic spine. This allows me to mobilize and massage it. All my clients with hunched backs will need this! The SPINEFITTER can also be used as an unstable support, which challenges and promotes balance and coordination. Super! The SPINEFITTER can be used in any position - from standing, sitting, back, side and prone to the 4-foot position. There are no limits to creativity. 

Whether for training, therapy or home use, the SPINEFITTER is versatile, easy and intuitive to use. Light in weight and the material is very comfortable for me, not too hard and not too soft. Its shape is similar to a foam roller, but the arrangement of the 28 balls offers optimized adjustment and stimulation of the spine and surrounding tissue, which provides completely new impulses. 

The pressure of the SPINEFITTER and the corresponding exercises stimulate the fasciae and muscles in equal measure. The fasciae are hydrated and become slippery again, the muscles are loosened and also strengthened. Mobility is promoted and blockages are released. Looseness and relaxation are promoted, especially in the shoulder girdle, and coordination and balance can also be challenged. 

I can hardly wait to integrate the SPINEFITTER into my training and therapy sessions. This tool is a real enrichment, especially for personal training, and can even be integrated wonderfully on the Pilates equipment. I am therefore delighted to be able to pass on a new movement experience to my clients and trainers and thus the effect of this unique device.

Bea Eggimann embarked on her Pilates journey in 2003 and was so enthusiastic that she has not let go of consciously working with her own body ever since. Bea founded the "Pilates Bern" studio in 2004 and expanded to Zurich in 2010. Pilates Bern and Pilates Zurich have now grown to 3 studios with a motivated team of 30 trainers.