Best Exercise Ball Chairs image katherinejolinetuckerExercise ball chairs range from the ball alone to a complete chair with arm rests and back, and are said to help improve posture and relieve neck and back pain. Sitting on one of these large balls made...Read More about Best Exercise Ball ChairsAs a full-time network administrator, most of my day is spent sitting behind a desk. Recently, I’ve started to notice some bad habits in my posture that have caused me to have back and knee pain on a regular basis. I’d heard that sitting on a balance ball was a good way to ease back pain, but the balls I tried were too short to reach my desk. I learned about the Gaiam BalanceBall chair while surfing on Amazon and it looked like it was worth a try. What caught my attention with the chair was the base and how it lifted the ball off the ground enough to help me sit more comfortably at my desk. Before we get into the nitty gritty of the review, let me tell you a few things about balance balls in general.
Balance balls (AKA yoga balls, Pilates balls, gym balls, etc.) are inflated rubber balls that are used in gyms and yoga classes for various exercises. The difference between sitting on a balance ball verses a regular chair is that the body responds to the instability of the ball and forces your core muscles to work at keeping your balance. It also forces you to stay focused. If you don’t focus on sitting correctly when on the balance ball, you’ll find yourself kissing the floor. Sitting on a balance ball won’t give you six pack abs, but working with one on a regular basis will help improve your posture and help strengthen your core muscles. Now, on to the review… Some assembly is required to get the chair ready for use, but the instructions are easy to follow and I had mine built in about five minutes. The size of the ball that comes with the chair is perfect for anyone between 5′ and 5′ 11″ in height. The bad news is that if you’re under 5′ or over 5′ 11″, this chair won’t work for you.
Instead, Gaiam suggests you check out the Total Body Balance Kit. It’s not a chair, but it comes with three different size balls to use so you can find the right fit for your height. Once you have it assembled, it’s time to get sitting. The first step to sitting on a BalanceBall is making sure that you inflate it to the correct height. If you inflate it too much, it may rupture. If you inflate it too little, you will be uncomfortable while sitting on it and you won’t be doing your body any favors. The general rule here is pretty simple: If the ball you’re using is sized at 52 centimeters, then it should inflate to be 52 centimeters tall. Once the ball is inflated properly, place your “sit bones” in the middle of the ball and keep your back straight (don’t lean on the support beam). Your shins and thighs should be at a 90 degree angle. If they’re not, inflate or deflate the ball until they are. Getting used to the BalanceBall chair on the first day was a little rough.
In my old chair, I would wheel myself around my office space instead of getting up. The wheels on the BalanceBall chair are not designed to handle that kind of swerving around. I also found myself bouncing and swaying to the point where I got a little sea-sick. An hour or so break in my regular chair, though, and I was ready to hit the ball again. After a few days, I noticed a significant difference in my posture and the overall feel of my back. It’s only been about a week since I’ve started using it, so it will take a bit longer to see if it’s made any difference in my core muscle strength, but right now I’m happy to have less back pain and more comfort in my day. After losing my ball to a pair of scissors (I should have taken my own advice), I had to sit in my regular chair for two weeks while I waited for a replacement to arrive. During those two weeks, I realized how much of a difference my BalanceBall chair made in my overall focus and comfort levels while at work.
Now that I’m sitting pretty on my replacement ball, I couldn’t be happier with my decision to go from ordinary chair to extraordinary chair. The Gaiam BalanceBall chair comes with a neat little book with simple exercises that you can do right at your desk and is available on Gaiam’s website for $79.98. GeekMom received a Gaiam BalanceBall for review purposes. The page you were searching for could not be found. It's possible the address was typed incorrectly, or that the page no longer exists. You can login or register for the site, run a quick search here, or also explore other options below. Not a Member Yet? Join now, It is quick, easy and FREE. Get access to our entire program, including: Food tracker and personalized meal plans Support from our experts on message boards Articles, recipes, tips, and much more!Nowadays people are very cautious about their health. Considerable attention has been given to the health risks associated with sitting at desk all day long.
For that reason, many people have decided to do away with ordinary office chairs. The knee stool and the yoga ball are two effective options that have been popularly adapted. This article will help you decide which of the two options suits you best. One of the major reasons for the creation of the was to reduce pressure that is experienced by an individual’s back while sitting. This stool helps to bring the spinal cord into line. They were originally first introduced in the 1970’s in Europe; however, they have just gained popularity recently. Using kneeling chairs to maintain proper posture isn’t just about protecting the back from hunching, but also preventing serious damage to the spinal code caused by pressure. Below are some of the benefits of knee chairs. Due to the ergonomic design of knee stools, your posture quality starts to improve. It’s easy to detect any slump or changes in your posture while seated because it simply becomes hard to balance unless your sat upright.