What do you get when you cross a fitness ball and a foam roller? An inflatable roller, also known as a FitBALL Roller ®- the newest piece of fitness equipment to hit the market! It is made from burst-resistant vinyl like the large round exercise ball - holding up to 440 pounds - and is cylindrical in shape like a foam roller. In essence, it's a ball squeezed down into a tube.

"The size of the inflatable roller, - 30 inches long and 7 inches in diameter - and its versatility make it a great addition to any health club fitness class or therapy clinic," says Caroline Creager, PT, owner of Berthoud Athletic Club and Executive Physical Therapy.

Creager, also the author of Therapeutic Exercises Using Foam Rollers, reports "the inflatable roller is a great exercise tool because you can work on balance, flexibility, and strengthen the abs, obliques, and core muscle groups all at the same time."