Yoga Ball Vs. Standing Desk page

[primalrob]

i know the problems associated with sitting all day, and i'll switch to a standing station sooner or later, but i'm wondering if any of those problems are alleviated by using a yoga ball as a chair. anyone know about this?

i would think it would be at least somewhat better...more options for mobility work, greater muscle activation, more fun. during regular semesters i spend half my day at my desk, and half meeting one on one with students. i might trade out my clunky chairs for something can be more safely hurled at colleagues.

[lemontwisst]

I tried the yoga ball for a while too, after having back and shoulder problems from sitting at a desk all day. For the first while, it was alright...but once I got used to the instability, I found myself slouching, sitting in crappy positions, etc, and before long, I was back to where I started.
After dealing with a few months of near-unbearable lower back pain (that was eventually diagnosed as degenerative disc disease...at the ripe old age of 32) earlier this year, I stumbled across a bunch of standing desk info...and found a bunch of big books, old cd cases and a piece of melamine-covered particle board (from the cut-off bin at the hardware store for $2) and made myself the most ghetto standing desk imaginable. That was in June, and I've been standing happily ever since (I just gave'r and went for the full workday on day 1, no issues). And my back pain was gone within the first work week.

599946_10150912972675248_235607341_n.jpg Super ghetto.

[Paleobird]

Maybe you could try one of these.

Balance Ball Chair - Yoga Ball Chair - Gaiam

[primalrob]

Maybe you could try one of these.

Balance Ball Chair - Yoga Ball Chair - Gaiam

i've thought about getting one of those since the first time i saw one in a movie a few years ago. but, they're a little pricy for me. for a few dollars more i could find a stand up station. if my boss is willing to pitch in, i could get a couple for counseling appointments, then remove the ball so i can play and balance when i'm at my desk. maybe i can plant that seed...inception style.

[slowcooker]

I used a yoga ball for a chair for a couple years. It really did help me with my back pain.
One of my colleagues uses a standing work station - it looks a little tiring.

[primalrob]

One of my colleagues uses a standing work station - it looks a little tiring.

a stand up station can be tiring if you spend all day at your desk. they're great if you can get away and move a little bit periodically, or if you divide up your time at the computer with something else.
even when i have a stand up station, i'll keep a tall chair or stool handy to be able to sit down for some of those long, marathon desk sessions.

[sbhikes]

What you need is a desk you can crank up and down quickly. Then you can stand or sit. Also get a ball because it's fun to bounce on it now and then. You can set an alarm to go off and do some leg curls or other exercises on it to get the blood moving again.

[pnb2005]

I was fortunate that my work let me put a workstation desk and a treadmill (at my expense, of course.) To do a lot of my work, I have to be in front of a computer. After months of back pain, I decided to give this set up a try. I started doing paleo about 1.5 months ago....it has been great. But going from chair to standing all day has been awesome.... I added the treadmill so that I could walk while at work. If my treadmill ever fails, I will buy another one..... treadmill.JPG