SWISS BALL | OUR OFFICE CHAIR FOR YOUR BACK

Sitting on a gym ball at work.

Recently, the trend of replacing your office chair with a gym ball has taken over companies.

Many people wonder whether a Swiss ball or gym ball is better for the back than a traditional chair.

This question is based on the theory that the abdominal and back muscles are constantly engaged and active in order to maintain correct posture and balance on the ball.

Our ergonomics expert, Stéphane Vincent, enlightens us on the advantages and disadvantages of using a gym ball at work.

Exercise balls are fantastic exercise tools, frequently used in physical therapy and exercise classes, they are a great way to build core strength as the body has to respond to the instability of the ball and balance.

However, using an exercise ball in an office environment may not be as beneficial as you had hoped.

Recent research has found that spinal constriction is greater when sitting on an exercise ball than when sitting on an office chair.

Research has concluded that sitting on an exercise ball has more disadvantages and that it is recommended to stick to your office chair.

Most people do not have the core strength to sit properly on the ball, which automatically forces the user to tuck their feet under the ball to avoid instability, thus defeating the purpose of replacing your office chair.

With office hours averaging over 8 hours, it is impossible to keep your core muscles engaged for such a long period throughout the day.

What are the pros and cons of replacing your chair with a gym ball?

Benefits of the gym ball (also called Swiss Ball):

• Improved core strength

• Promotes balance and stability

• Burn calories

Disadvantages of the Swiss Ball:

• Lack of support for back and arms

• May affect concentration

• Difficult to maintain good posture

• Discomfort

• Unsafe

Another thing to consider is the size of the ball. A good ergonomic chair will be fully adjustable to fit your body perfectly, keeping your forearms parallel to the desk and your elbows alongside your body.

The effort required to hold your arms up in the air in this manner causes tension in your upper back, neck and shoulders.

How to determine what size balloon you need?

• Measure the length of your arm from shoulder to wrist. This measurement is roughly the minimum diameter required.

• Always choose a balloon with a slightly larger diameter.

If you are considering using a gym ball as a seat, you should also consider its inflation level.

If the ball has not been inflated enough, the seat will be too low to the ground.

• It is advisable to purchase a ball that is slightly higher than your current office chair. This is because when you sit on the ball, it deflates.

How high should your desk be when sitting on a ball?

It's important to adjust the height of your desk to suit your needs, whether you're sitting in an office chair or on a gym ball.

If the desk is too high, you will have to stretch to reach your keyboard. If the desk is too low, the computer screen will not be at eye level, which will cause neck strain.

And you'll be more likely to bend over to reach the keyboard and mouse.

For all employers, it is also worth noting that gym balls do not comply with HSE regulations for use as an office chair as they do not have a five-star base, height adjustment or adjustable backrest.

If one of your employees falls off a gym ball or it bursts, you may be held liable because you allowed the equipment to be used on company premises.

Keeping in mind all the problems associated with using a gym ball, for those of you who want to try the trend, here are some tips for users.

• Use the equipment for a maximum of 20 minutes only and alternate with an ergonomic office chair.

• Be sure to purchase the correct size so you can sit at the correct height for your desk.

• Try to pull your stomach in to keep the ball stable and keep your feet flat on the floor.

• Make sure to buy a ball with anti-burst technology. A burst gym ball is not only embarrassing, but it also hurts a lot!

• Make sure to buy a gym ball that relieves upper body tension and strengthens back muscles as it works the back and pelvic floor muscles and also strengthens the muscles in the feet and legs.

Is it good to sit on a Swiss Ball at work?

Truth or Myth: Is Using an Exercise Ball to Replace Your Office Chair a Good Idea?

One of the latest trends in office ergonomics is the use of exercise balls to replace the traditional office chair. Is this a good idea? What does the science of ergonomics say? Let’s find out.

You know that sitting all day is bad for your health.

So when a friend tells you about an interesting possible solution to this problem, you're intrigued. Your friend's advice is to replace your office chair with an exercise ball.

According to him, you would get a little extra exercise while adopting better posture.

Sounds great, right? Well, not so fast...

Using exercise balls as office chairs seems to be the latest strategy to reduce sitting-related fatigue, discomfort and illness, but does it really work?

What do ergonomics experts say ?

This is what we are going to find out.

The idea behind sitting on an exercise ball instead of a traditional office chair is that the instability of an exercise ball forces the user to increase activation of the core muscles and therefore increase core strength, improve posture, and decrease discomfort.

Proponents of the office gym ball claim that increased calorie expenditure is another benefit.

According to them, when the core is engaged, the user burns more calories than they would sitting in a traditional office chair.

So, are these benefits real? Is it a good idea to replace your office chair with an exercise ball?

Let's take a look at the scientific evidence.

Review of the scientific evidence for the usefulness of exercise balls as office chairs.

Virtually all research shows that exercise balls cause more problems than they solve, and most experts recommend sticking with a traditional (ergonomically correct) office chair.

One study found that "prolonged sitting on a stability ball does not significantly change the way a person sits, but does appear to increase the level of discomfort."

Another study found that "There was no difference in the muscle activation profiles of any of the 14 muscles between sitting on the stool and on the ball.

Calculated stability and compression values ​​showed that sitting on the ball made no difference in the mean response values.

The seat-user interface contact area was largest on the exercise ball."

According to the Center of Research Expertise for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders, using stability balls as a chair may actually increase the risk of developing lower back discomfort.

This may increase the risk of sustaining an injury due to the unstable nature of the balloons.

Conclusion: Exercise balls should be left for... exercise!

And don't use them to sit at your desk all day. Use them for small periods of time as part of your fitness and exercise program.

A better solution is to choose an ergonomic office chair, consider a sit-stand workstation, take stretch breaks throughout the day, and take short walks to get the blood flowing.

Can you sit on a gym ball all day?

According to a survey, about one in four people sit for at least 8 hours a day.

Even more troubling: Prolonged sitting has been linked to chronic problems such as back pain, sciatic nerve pain, depression, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer.

Today, fitness and wellness professionals are singing the praises of a possible antidote to this modern lifestyle crisis: the yoga ball chair.

Also known as a stability ball or exercise ball, the yoga ball is often used during exercise sessions to help extend range of motion and improve balance.

But with more people sitting at work, the exercise ball has moved from the gym to the office.

The effectiveness of this form of “active sitting,” let alone its safety, isn’t so clear. To find out more, we called experts and looked at the research. It turns out things aren’t so black and white.

How is a stability ball supposed to help us?

Sitting on a yoga ball instead of a chair is said to improve posture and prevent and relieve back pain.

To stay balanced and upright on a yoga ball chair, you need to engage your entire core.

A stability ball is believed to activate all of your postural muscles, the deep muscles of the abdomen, pelvis and back and keep you and your posture good.

Should You Trade In Your Office Chair For A Yoga Ball?

Probably not, at least not for more than an hour or two.

While sitting on a yoga ball may give you a burst of core exercise, there's no evidence that it automatically improves posture.

“A stability ball doesn’t guarantee good posture,” says Julie Revive, a holistic physiotherapist and wellness consultant. “You always have to think about how you’re sitting.”

In fact, a 2009 study found that after just one hour of sitting on an exercise ball, participants experienced significant "spinal narrowing" (in other words, they sagged in the lower back).

“Unfortunately, I've seen almost worse posture on exercise balls than on regular office chairs,” says Julie Revive.

"This is because many people roll their tailbone under and arch their shoulder forward, pushing their chin forward to compensate for the weight shift. This position resembles a limp banana sitting on a ball."

A small 2006 study found no difference in muscle activation between sitting on a yoga ball and sitting in a chair.

Who benefits most from sitting on a stability ball?

While yoga balls aren't ideal for working at a desk all day, some people may benefit from them.

Dr. Binet warns, however, that it is best not to sit on a gym ball for more than two hours at a time.

1. Pregnant women

According to Binet, pregnant women (especially those in their second and early third trimesters) may find Swiss Balls helpful.

Regular chairs can cause your stomach to press on your upper legs, leading to discomfort.

However, sitting on a yoga ball is not ideal for full-term people, as the lack of lower back support can lead to back pain.

2. Postpartum people

Yoga ball chairs are also ideal for people who have given birth within the last six weeks, Binet says.

“If you've recently given birth, deflate your ball slightly so it's spongier and feels soft and comfortable on your saddle,” she says.

“Paired with recovery shorts, sitting on a yoga ball can really help with pelvic floor comfort and recovery after childbirth.”

3. People with hemorrhoids

Although it won't treat the cause of hemorrhoids, sitting on a yoga ball instead of a regular chair can help relieve the pain associated with this condition.

Don't use it if you have acute lower back pain. "Instead, talk to a physical therapist for advice and exercises, and sit in a supportive chair," Binet says.

“It can be any chair, as long as your lower back is supported by a lumbar roll (this can be a towel or a rolled-up sweater).”

Tips for safe sitting.

If you want to experiment with an exercise ball be sure to follow these guidelines:

• Don't sit for more than two hours at a time. If you sit for too long, your muscles will get tired and you may experience pain in your middle and lower back.

• Inflate the balloon enough so that you feel like you are perched on it rather than sinking into it.

• Buy the right size for your body. "You want a ball that allows you to have your feet flat on the floor and your hips bent at 90 degrees or more. Your knees should not be higher than your hips," Binet says.

• If you want to try using your yoga ball as a desk chair for an hour or two, make sure you set up your workstation so that you maintain good sitting posture.

This might mean investing in a desk of a different height, an external keyboard and mouse, or other new equipment.

For good posture at the office, Binet says all of the following elements must be present:

• Your chin should be parallel to the floor when looking straight at your screen. Your neck should not be curved up or down.

• Your elbows should be just below your keyboard and your shoulders should be flexible.

• Your knees should be bent at a 90 degree angle.

• Your feet should be flat on the floor.

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