Improve Your Posture Sitting Down With An Exercise Ball Chair
Posted on: 29 January 2015
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When you're buying a new desk chair, it's understandable to want to buy the cushiest and most plush chair available. However, if you're looking for a more comfortable chair because you're uncomfortable sitting at work, you should consider an alternative: exercise ball chairs. Studies have shown that these chairs can help with lower back pain, so this solution could be useful to you and the estimated 60-80% of the U.S. population that suffer from lower back pain.
Exercise Ball Chair
Have you ever seen an exercise ball? Many people use them to intensify their workouts by performing sit ups, crunches and other core-focused exercises while they lie on the ball rather than the ground. A exercise ball chair uses this exact same style of ball, but the ball is put where the seat of the chair would normally be. Most exercise ball chairs still have a chair back and wheels on the legs of the chair, so they work just like a regular desk chair.
Why A Regular Exercise Ball Isn't Ideal
Some people choose to just sit on an exercise ball at work, but that can cause some problems.
When your attention isn't fully on your posture and balance, it's possible for you to lose your balance, causing the ball to fall out from under you. This can be painful and embarrassing if your co-workers catch wind of it. It also may not work very well for women who wear skirts at work, as it generally requires a wider stance that may feel improper or uncomfortable.
Exercise ball chairs don't cause these problems because the ball is much smaller and is mounted in the chair. It still provides all the benefits of an exercise ball, but without the inconvenience of simply sitting on a ball.
Benefits
Poor posture can go far beyond making your back and neck hurt: it can cause headaches, jaw pain, stomach pain, and even reduce your lung capacity by up to 30%. Ergonomic exercise ball chairs can help to make you to maintain better posture while seated because you sit on top of the arc of the ball instead of sinking down into the cushion of a regular desk chair.
In order to stay balanced on the ball, you hold yourself upright, utilizing your core muscles and the muscles in your back. Given the hours you spend sitting down everyday, this behavior remains when you're standing, too.
Whether you're having discomfort and pain while sitting down or you just want to prevent it from happening, choosing an exercise ball desk chair can help to reduce your pain and improve your posture. Talk to furniture companies, like D & R Office Works Inc., for similar options.