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Before you sign in, please click the activation link we emailed you. YOUR ACCOUNT HAS BEEN LOCKED You made too many unsuccessful sign in attempts. Your account will unlock in 24 hours. To get it unlocked today, please or call us atExercise balls and treadmill desks might encourage movement among sedentary workers, but sources say they're not ergonomic and don't belong in the workplace.Ergonomics experts say employers regularly ask whether exercise ball chairs should be allowed in the workplace, adding that they're often recommended to employees by physical therapists and fitness coaches.“We'd love to believe that a $30 (stability) ball will replace a $750 task chair, but it doesn't,” said Tom Hilgen, Charlotte, North Carolina-based senior vice president and ergonomics practice leader at Willis North America Inc. To be considered ergonomic, a chair needs to be adjustable — “height, seat depth, lumbar support and so on.”Exercise balls, which aren't adjustable, expose workers to musculoskeletal risks, experts said.
With an exercise ball chair, workers “end up reaching down for a keyboard or reaching up over the edge of the desk for a keyboard,” said Rachel Michael, Midway, Utah-based senior consultant at Aon Risk Solutions. If workers can't adjust their seat, employers “have to start adding money” for height-adjustable desks and keyboard trays.Most workers don't have the core strength to maintain the necessary balance and posture to use an exercise ball chair, Ms. Michael said.Even if workers say they'll alternate between a ball and an ergonomic chair, it's not a good idea, Mr. Hilgen said, noting that he's seen cases where people get fatigue and fall off or trip over the balls. “They do roll,” he said. “Most of us are in offices with space constraints. Working and walking in the proximity of these objects is not very practical.”Experts say they advise employers to write policies banning exercise balls from the workplace.Another tool ergonomics experts warn employers about is the treadmill desk.
These weren't developed with ergonomics in mind, Ms. Michael said. Rather, they're a “response to the obesity epidemic.”Treadmill desks can be a liability, she said, recalling a claim filed by a woman who was injured while walking on one — in high heels.Ms. Michael said employers that do want to offer treadmill desks should consider a system where workers — wearing “reasonable shoes” — sign up to use it for 15 to 30 minutes while taking a phone call. I recently started a new position and share an office with a few people who are also in my unit. My coworkers are pretty cool people. However, one coworker uses a huge yoga ball as a chair because she has back issues. While I am sympathetic to this, the yoga ball squeaks and squeals all day long. It sounds like a balloon being manipulated, and it’s driving me batty. I don’t know of any office that would think this is professional and it’s very distracting to the point where I can’t concentrate. I write a lot at my job, so I can’t wear headphones as a distraction either.
Any suggestions on what to do? As I am new, I don’t really feel comfortable asking her to use her normal office chair. Yeah, you can’t really ask her to use a normal chair. This one just isn’t within the range of stuff it’s reasonable to ask a coworker to change, especially as someone new; she’s doing it for health reasons, and her chair isn’t really your business. And there are indeed perfectly professional offices where people use exercise balls as chairs. She’s not doing something wildly outside the range of acceptable professional behavior, and your company is clearly okay with it. I suppose it’s possible that draping something over the ball (like a blanket) might minimize the squeaking, but beyond suggesting that, there’s not really anything you can do. I think your best bet here is noise-canceling headphones or learning to block out the sound. Strengthen and tighten your core or regain lost physical mobility through the use of a medicine ball from Academy Sports + Outdoors.
Medicine ball exercises, when done correctly, can be an excellent addition to your workout regimen. Made from rubber, nylon and PVC, our medicine balls are soft, but sturdy, featuring a textured surface to ensure you don't slip off while performing lunges or crunches. Build up your abs, cardiovascular endurance, and strength train while doing a slam exercise with one of our slam balls, made to not bounce when thrown towards the ground. Use one of our wall balls for more arm-intensive workouts. Medicine ball workouts offer an explosive way to increase your flexibility and build muscle mass faster than performing the standard dumbbell curls, push-ups and twists by themselves. Ensure you get the right workout ball weight sets for your exercise routine and level of strength at Academy Sports + Outdoors. Our workout balls come in a variety of weights, from 6 lb. to 30 lb., making sure you find an option that presents a challenge but doesn't overstrain your muscles. Whereas a lightweight wall ball is perfect for completing overhead passes, a heavier ball is better for doing squats with added weight.