Using a fitness ball as a chair for work and or home

Josh Bytes

Anybody use a fitness ball to sit while at their desk? Other than bouncing up and down on your ball are there really physical benefits from it? Or is it just fad science?

Apreche

I'm pretty sure it's a bullshit fad.

If you're really worried, the most current science I've read is in favor of not sitting at all.

Victor Frost

If you're really worried, the most current science I've read is in favor of not sitting at all.

On that note...

Andrew

Josh Bytes

That treadmill setup is pretty cool.

theknoxinator

If you're really worried, the most current science I've read is in favor of not sitting at all.

I'm still waiting for the contrasting science that shows that standing and walking around all day is really hard on the feet. And then later on science that shows that lying down all day causes joint pain and muscle loss. Eventually we'll get to where science just condemns gravity in general.

Techparadox

are there really physical benefits from it? Or is it just fad science?

Scott's opinion notwithstanding, if you sit on it properly and maintain good posture it can potentially help strengthen your core muscles. But if you already have a strong core, it's pretty useless. Plus there's the added FAIL of looking like the dork that sits on an exercise ball at work when co-workers walk by.

Wyatt

I use one at the gym for dumb bell press and sit ups.

Churba

Scott's opinion notwithstanding, if you sit on it properly and maintain good posture it can potentially help strengthen your core muscles. But if you already have a strong core, it's pretty useless. Plus there's the added FAIL of looking like the dork that sits on an exercise ball at work when co-workers walk by.

That's not the only potential FAIL, as our good friend Leo Laporte will kindly demonstrate.



Also - This happens to him more than you'd think. I've heard it happening at least three times.

Kate Monster

Treadmill desks have been around for a while, but almost no one uses them. One of the main issues with them is that it is only recommended that a person use them for a portion of their work day, not their entire work day (some OSHA thing) and that means that the work space needs to be shared amongst many people as well as having non-treadmill desks/work-spaces, rather than one dedicated work space per person.