ITSTYLE Best Yoga Balls Chairs Exercise Anti-Burst Heavy Duty Stability Ball Birthing Ball with Quick Pump (Office & Home & Gym) Best For Pregnancy
About 1 in 4 people in the U.S. sit for at least 8 hours a day, Even more troubling: Prolonged sitting has been linked to chronic issues like back pain, sciatic nerve pain, depression, type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer.
Now, fitness and wellness pros 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, a yoga ball is often used during exercise routines to help expand range of motion and improve balance. But with a growing number of people sitting while they work, the exercise ball has moved from the gym to the office.
How’s it supposed to help?
Sitting on a yoga ball instead of a chair is thought to improve posture and prevent and relieve back pain.
“In order to stay balanced and upright [on a yoga ball chair], you need to engage the entirety of your core,” a “A yoga ball is thought to activate all your postural muscles — the deep muscles in your abdomen, pelvis, and back — which hold you together and ensure proper posture.”
While yoga ball chairs aren’t great for working at a desk all day, some groups of people can benefit from using them.
1. Pregnant people
Pregnant people (specifically those in their second and early third trimesters) may find yoga ball chairs helpful because regular chairs can cause their bump to press on the top of their legs, causing discomfort.
2. Postpartum people
Yoga ball chairs can also feel great for people who have given birth in the past 6 weeks
“If you’ve recently given birth, deflate your ball slightly so it’s extra spongy, and it will feel soft and comfy on your saddle region,” Coupled with recovery shorts, sitting on a yoga ball can really help with comfort and pelvic floor recovery after giving birth.
3. People dealing with hemorrhoids
While it won’t address the cause of the hemorrhoids, sitting on a yoga ball instead of a regular chair can help ease pain related to the condition.
If you want to experiment with a yoga ball chair, make sure to follow these guidelines:
- Don’t sit for longer than 2 hours at a time. If you sit too long, your muscles will become fatigued and you may end up feeling sore in your middle back and lower back.
- Pump it up. Inflate the ball enough so that you feel perched on top of it rather than sinking into it.
- Buy the right size for your body. “You need a ball that allows you to have your feet flat on the floor and your hips bent to 90 degrees or more. You don’t want your knees sitting higher than your hips,” says Reid.
If you want to try using your yoga ball as a desk chair for an hour or two at a time, be sure to set up your workstation so you can maintain proper sitting posture. This might mean investing in a desk of a different height, an external keyboard and mouse, or other new equipment.
For good desk posture:
- Your chin should be parallel to the floor when you’re looking straight at your screen. Your neck shouldn’t be bent up or down.
- Your elbows should be just below your keyboard, and your shoulders should be soft.
- Your knees should bend at a 90-degree angle.
- Your feet should be flat on the floor.
Available in 5 sizes (ranging from 45cm - 85cm) and multicolor for the perfect look and fit.
Note: Don’t use if you have acute low back pain
Brand Name: ITSTYLE
Style: Smooth
Size: 45cm to 85cm
Model Number: XU054
