Exercise ball chairs improve posture, fitness
Hey savvy news reader! Thanks for choosing local.
You are now reading
1 of 3 free articles.
For administrative staff in the Polson School District, sitting at a desk could be a workout.
Since early March, several members of Polson High School’s and Cherry Valley Elementary’s office staff have been using exercise ball chairs in place of traditional office chairs. And they say it’s made a significant difference in the way they feel after sitting down all day.
“You’re forced to sit upright, which kind of helps your core,” Cherry Valley secretary Debbie Gunlock said. “You don’t find yourself slouching.”
As opposed to normal desk chairs, which are usually cushioned and encourage bad posture, exercise ball chairs require the user to balance on top of the ball, which is said to help keep proper spine alignment and tighten core abdominal muscles. After noticing that her back usually hurt after a day at her desk, PHS attendance secretary Nancy Hemphill started thinking of ways to improve her seating arrangement. She had an exercise ball at home for workouts and had heard of people using similar balls as seats.
“So I just thought I’d try it at work,” she explained. “It worked, and my back didn’t hurt any more.”
The word got out, and as other staff members expressed interest in the exercise balls, Hemphill did some research on alternative seating. She found chairs fitted with exercise balls in an office supply catalog, and before long, the colorful chairs were popping up at desks around the school district. The chairs are about the same price as a regular office chair, and according to Hemphill, they’re well worth it.
The chairs even came with exercise books designed to give workers simple, quick exercises to do throughout the day. But even without the additional workouts, ball chairs can help burn calories just from the extra balancing required to stay on top of the seat. And as an added bonus, the chairs provide entertainment for students, who like to watch the balancing act.
“Of course, the kids love seeing the secretaries on the balls,” Principal Elaine Meeks added, smiling.
