Ergonomic Chairs vs. Exercise Balls
A sedentary lifestyle coupled with jobs that require one to be seated for more than six hours a day have sadly become part of an everyday work life. This makes the office chair a crucial piece of furniture. A recent trend has been to substitute the ergonomic chair with the stability ball. There are plenty of arguments for and against the use of balls to substitute ergonomic chairs. It’s crucial, however, to determine whether the benefits of the ball are sufficient enough to make it an adequate substitute for the ergonomic chair.
Fitness
Proponents of the ball posit that a firmly inflated ball can be a way to integrate fitness into the daily work routine. Sitting on a ball improves core strength, encourages better posture, and enhances freedom of movement. However, sitting on a ball for long hours can also lead to muscle fatigue which may result in improper or awkward postures. This has the adverse effects of enhanced strain on the spine and lower back.
Support
The highest quality ergonomic chairs, however, are designed to provide support to the main body structures that are prone to stress when seated for long hours. They have features such as a back rest and head rest that support posture while sitting. Some advanced models will even allow you to adjust individual features to fit your comfort needs.
Sitting for long hours without neck support can lead to stiffness in the shoulder and neck region. As stability balls do not have arm rests and neck support mechanisms, this can result in other complications. Ergonomic chairs support the head and neck, making it more suitable for long term use. Research has also established that using armrests takes some strain off the shoulders and neck hence reducing the likelihood of slouching.
Price
Another reason for the increased popularity of balls for office use is that they are considerably cheaper than some of the best ergonomic chairs. However, it all boils down to posture. Some people still slouch on a ball, probably even worse than they do on an ergonomic chair. Moreover, many adopters of ball chairs reported increased discomfort on their backsides because ball chairs involve more contact area between the backside and the seating surface forcing one to somehow sink into the ball. Nonetheless, it’s important to practice holding good posture.
Sitting For Long Hours
It goes without saying that stability balls are great for exercise but not conducive for long term sitting. An ergonomic chair can be a valuable tool to help support the body when sitting for long durations. If you’re new to stability balls, it’s important to go work gradually as your body and muscles may not be accustomed to sitting on a ball. In fact, using a ball too much too fast may lead to injury. The trick is to build up your time on the ball slowly until the muscles become accustomed to the position.
Due to insufficient evidence and research on the benefits of using a ball instead of an ergonomic chair, most experts recommend sticking to the latter. When it comes to proper sitting behavior, some amount of exercise or physical activity is important to offset the long hours of sitting.