Are Exercise Balls Good For Posture?

Cross Training

Regular office chairs are known for hurting your posture, especially if you keep sitting on them the wrong way. Slouching in your chair can also lead your core strength to decrease. It may be the right time to replace your chair for a stability ball. But, are exercise balls good for posture?

Stability ball balances and forms a correct position for your body. It also alleviates strains on your back. In this article, we’re going to discuss the other benefits of sitting on an exercise ball. We’re also going to give you some tips on how to find the right exercise ball size for you. Let’s take a look.

What Is an Exercise Ball?

An exercise ball is also known as a yoga ball. It is a sphere composed of flexible rubber, around 35 to 85 centimeters in diameter and packed with air. Through inserting a valve stem and then loading with air, or making the ball deflate, you can adjust the air pressure. It is widely used in physical therapy, athletic training, and exercises. The ball is sometimes referred to as balance ball, workout ball, gymnastic ball, pilates ball, stability ball, Swedish ball, or therapy ball.

Physical therapy and fitness coaches recommend having an exercise ball that matches the height of an individual’s body. The elbows and knees are at or slightly higher than an angle of 90 degrees against an exercise ball.

The exercise ball may be constructed of acrylic, silicone, rigid foam rubber, and is inflatable. Inflatable exercise balls may be punctured, so it is safer not to carry something sharp while using the ball. Plastic fitness balls may also affect by proximity to heat or over sunlight. Some individuals prevent the exercise ball from bursting if a puncture happens, thus enabling the gas to escape out gradually.

Before we’re going to answer your question, “Are exercise balls good for posture?” We’re going to show you the benefits.

The Benefits of Sitting on an Exercise Ball

Burn Extra Calories

You might not waste a large deal of the day just lying in your chair. But several people can sit on a chair for eight or more hours a day. It is here where you come in as a fitness trainer. Although during each session, you usually concentrate on shaping and posture of your body. Part of becoming a good personal trainer is bringing your skills and experience outside the gym. You ought to be able to travel the extra mile and give suggestions that you can carry anywhere. If you want to swap the office chair with an exercise ball, you should know the additional bonus of sitting on an exercise ball: extra calories lost.

It’s pretty simple fact: The faster you run, the more calories you burn. The more energy you spend on the ball for exercise, the quicker you lose calories.

Relieves Back Pain

You need to concentrate on keeping proper balance when seated on the balance ball. You’re not going to be as hunched over as you would be sitting on a chair in an office compared to sitting on an exercise ball. But the fact is, sitting on a balance ball will not offer to heal or completely relieve the suffering that you feel. You might be able to ease any of the discomforts you are feeling through the daily workout and working out on a balance ball. We’ll look at those possibilities more below.

Tone Core Muscles

The harmful effects that sitting in a chair may have on your core strength can weaken your body posture. Did we note that moving to a balance ball will also help you shape and strengthen those stubborn abs and obliques? You are no longer dependent on the back of the chair with an exercise ball to hold you upright. Instead, you can stimulate the heart, which contributes to your overall core strength. You can also look for an additional workday challenge.

Perform a couple of exercises using your stability ball:

Plank your forearms on the ball
Ball squat
Shoulder curls and press

Here are some yoga guides to help you:

Are Exercise Balls Good for Posture?

The premise of sitting on an exercise ball instead of a conventional office chair is essential. The flexibility of an exercise ball allows the person to maximize the activity of the muscle, thus improving the core strength, posture and balance, and minimizes discomfort.

However, are exercise balls good for posture? Are these benefits the real deal? Is it cool to swap your desk chair with an exercise ball?

Long-term sitting at one point is linked with some adverse long-term health consequences. It can develop a higher risk of diseases such as asthma, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.

According to the studies conducted by the Center of Research Expertise for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders – using a stability ball as a chair can increase the risk of lower back discomfort. Still, it may also increase the risk of sustaining injury due to ball instability.

Exercise balls should be used only for exercise. Do not sit on the exercise ball at the office for the entire day. Keep in mind to use an exercise ball as part of a health and workout routine for limited amounts of time.

Finding the Right Size of Stability Ball

You want to make sure you’re selecting the right stability ball that suits your height. Choosing a ball that is large or small will make the exercises either too challenging or too simple for you.

Any manufacturer of the stability ball should provide options for height and ball size on their website or directly on the packaging. You may use the recommendations from the University of Arkansas for the height and size of an exercise ball.

If you’re between 4’8” and 5’5”, you should find an exercise ball with 18 inches in diameter.
If you’re 5’6 to ’60”, use an exercise ball with 22 inches in diameter.
If you’re 6’1” to 6’5”, find an exercise ball with 26 inches in diameter.
If you’re over 6’5”, your exercise ball should be 30 inches in diameter.

>>Related articles that you may like:

Conclusion

Our exercise balls good for posture? Yes, they help build a proper stance. But you must keep in mind that sitting on an exercise ball for a long time isn’t going to cure your bad posture.

If you know that a stability ball can alleviate strain, then do it with caution. The negative impact of sitting on an exercise ball for a long period should give you a complete understanding and safe usage of an exercise ball.

Use exercise balls to improve your posture!