Many of us spend the majority of our professional lives sitting, which makes the office chair an all-important piece of furniture. Lately mine hasn't been cutting it, so as an experiment, I swapped my chair with an exercise ball. Here's what's been great about it, what's been less than perfect, and what you might want to consider if you're interested in switching to an exercise ball as your office chair. I don't have one of those $500+ Herman Miller ergonomic chairs, but do have a lumbar support roll for my desk chair, which is sized small enough for my frame so I fit comfortably in it and everything is measured for ergonomic workstation perfection (as best as I could manage, at least). But, maybe it's my increased awareness of the health hazards of sitting all day or just the years catching up with me, but this regular chair isn't working so great. Lately I've been catching myself standing up to type in bouts of nervous energy or, worse, slouching. My neck and shoulders perpetually ache.
Frankly, my butt hurts. My alternatives were to adopt a standing desk or a treadputer or try a more ergonomically-designed Aeron or similar chair (like a good pair of shoes and a quality mattress, it's the everyday things that are worth investing in). Being both a yoga lover and a cheapskate, I decided to first try out this exercise ball chair for $75. Besides being much cheaper than buying a new desk or a more expensive chair, the exercise ball chair promised to allow me to work in some abdominal exercise throughout the day and possibly improve my years-of-working-slumped-at-a-desk posture. This is what Isokinetics, the makers of the chair I bought, say about it:Your body, when positioned on top of an exercise ball, is constantly making small adjustments, often imperceptible, to remain balanced and thus is constantly exercising a large group of muscles in doing so. By strengthening your body's core muscle group you help improve your posture, have better balance and guard against back injuries.
The medical community, however, is at best inconclusive about the health benefits or disadvantages of using an exercise ball as an office chair. I found two case studies of patients with low back pain whose conditions improved after consistently using the gym ball, but, on the other hand, The New York Times reports that claims of exercise balls improving posture are also lacking in evidence (and disadvantages regarding spinal shrinkage may offset the increased muscle activity). The folks at Ergonomics Today are flat-out against ball chairs as office chairs, primarily for safety reasons (the potential for air collapse and the instability, partially due to the ball rolling away—something the ball base in my particular chair does away with).Jeremy Vigneault, a physical therapist at the Nayden Rehabilitation Clinic at the University of Connecticut, told me that "there is really nothing overly good nor bad per say about the exercise ball chair," noting that this type of setup doesn't offer any lumbar (lower back) support and it does take practice to maintain a good sitting posture on it.
He pointed out that most chairs, of any kind, try to exploit posture and back health as their key selling points, when really the perfect chair doesn't exist—it's more about practicing "good posture." Chad Garvey, a physical therapist, manual therapist, and patient advocate, also said there's not much evidence for these fitness balls reducing lower back pain and just advised me not to fall, as that's the main concern that's been reported with this type of chair.I was just glad no one told me sitting on an exercise ball chair was going to kill me. If you have back pain or another health condition or if you're the least bit concerned, definitely check with your doctor before attempting this kind of setup. If you decide to proceed, as I did, here's what you'll likely experience:The first time you sit on an exercise ball at your desk, your back will probably shoot up so straight you'll feel like a marionette. If you're like me, this will be a foreign, even delightful experience (oh, that's what it's like?).
Twenty minutes later, if you're like me, your butt will hurt and you will switch back to your regular chair which will feel mushy by comparison. After a couple more days of this, you may find yourself sitting on the exercise ball chair for much longer periods of time. (A week later, I spend the majority of my day on the exercise ball chair, but still take lots of breaks and occasionally switch back to the old chair.) After a little over a week of using the chair, it's impossible to tell if it's helping to increase my core strength, as I hope it will, but I do feel like I walk and sit much taller than I used to and can sit for longer periods of time. If it's only that I'm more aware of my posture, that's fine—in my book, the ball is doing its job. Plus, I now have another outlet for some creative nervous energy, am sneaking in some extra (albeit minuscule, in terms of calorie-burning) exercise, and my butt doesn't hurt anymore—what more could I ask for?If you've tried using an exercise ball instead of an office chair or have any opinions on these alternative chairs, share your thoughts with us in the comments.
You can follow or contact Melanie Pinola, the author of this post, on Twitter.Below you will find our reviews of the best exercise ball chairs available on the market today. Our team evaluated these products based on the following factors: The market offers a number of excellent products for sale. However, we have some very good reasons why we chose our top 5. They really stand head and shoulders over the others in terms of quality and benefits to its users. If by chance you’ve used any of these products, please leave a comment to add to our discussion. This is an all-around great product. It’s Mike, Kelly and Edward’s favorite. The Gaiam Custom Fit really stands above the rest. Currently, it’s the finest product of its kind available in the market. Gaiam is a reputable and well-known manufacturer of yoga products that are very high quality, including mats, blocks and many other items. When the Gaiam Custom Fit was first introduced into the marketplace, our expectations were very high.
Gaiam didn’t just meet our expectations. The patented yoga balance ball made by Gaiam serves as the Gaiam Custom Fit’s seat. It’s made of polyurethane, which is a very comfortable, durable and robust material. It locks securely into the steel frame. It can be removed very easily for a quick lunchtime workout. In the free DVD included with the product, you find some quick and effective office workout suggestions. To ensure correct ergonomic positioning, the seat height can be raised or lowered so that it aligns with your monitor, keyboard and desk. One additional feature that we really like is the lumbar back support. It’s subtle, so it doesn’t encourage you to go back to your unhealthy sitting habits, like reclining. It’s just a little something that says, “I have your back.” Compared to other options, the Custom Fit is quite affordable and offers incredible value in its price range. We really enjoyed testing this particular product. Read the testimonials at Amazon and you’ll see just about everybody else does too.
For first-time users, in particular, it’s your best choice. Buy Now on Amazon – or – Read Full Article This is another product that blew us away in terms of quality. It is Kyle and Maryjane’s favorite. The Isokinetics really is a great product. It’s quite similar, with a couple subtle differences, to the Gaiam Custom Fit, our number 1 choice. A removable, high quality exercise ball is great for performing exercises quickly. Another feature is the lumbar rest with adjustable height. The base can be raised in 5 increments for adjusting the height while the Custom Fit’s is adjusted in 4 increments. Another nice benefit offered by this product is it comes in several colors, including black, white, purple, red and yellow. The Isokinetic doesn’t include a fitness DVD. However, a measuring tape is provided to help figure out exactly how much it needs to be inflated. A pump is included. Buy Now on Amazon – or – Read Full Article Out of the 5 products we’ve ranked here, this one costs the least.
However, in no way does that take away from the quality of this product. The original Gaiam is the first overall product of this kind that was introduced into the marketplace. This product is produced by Gaiam, which is a testament to its high quality. From the beginning, this has been one of the top 5 products for us. It didn’t get surpassed until Gaiam introduced their Custom Fit product. A chiropractor named Dr. Randy Weinzoff helped to design this great product. Gaiam was looking for a solution that would combine the ergonomic benefits individuals get from using a yoga ball along with the necessary functionality offered by a traditional seat with a wheeled base. If you are looking for an affordable product and one that has gotten the job done since day one, this product is an excellent choice. A pump is included as well. For new users, this product is perfect. If you are looking for a yoga chair without a lot of differences from the seat you are currently using, you should look into the Cando.
It even resembles your typical 4-legged seat. It doesn’t have a full rise back rest, but instead a stabilizing lumbar rest. The only thing supported is your lower lumbar spine which encourages your body to maintain proper posture on its own, and builds your core muscles in the process. One unique feature offered by the product is its arm rests. They can be raised or lower to ensure that your forearms are in proper alignment: parallel to the ground. This allows your wrists to sit gently level with the keyboard and minimizes issues like carpal tunnel The Cando is slightly more expensive compared to other products. For newbies, however, it’s a great option. The product includes a pump. Buy Now on Amazon– or – Read Full Article For teens and college students, this is a really good option. Do you have a problem with getting your teenage to sit straight? If you do, try this product out. Among teens, this it’s a favorite. It features a sleek, black design. It will fit in quite well with nearly any teen bedroom or college dorm room.