If you are looking for the best ball chair alternatives or even some alternative active furniture options, then you’ve come to the right place. Below are 6 pieces of furniture which are growing in popularity. I bet there’s a few you’ve either never heard of or even seen being used! Read on to see if I’m right!
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Ball chair alternatives
Below is a list of ball chair alternatives that tend to be more favoured by the medical community:
- Ergonomic chair
- Standing desk
- Standing desk chair
- Kneeling chair
- Desk elliptical
- Under desk treadmill
Now that you have the list of alternatives to balance ball chairs, let’s delve deeper into each of these pieces of office furniture. Read on to see just how well they compare to yoga ball chairs and whether they are a possible consideration for your office. Let’s find out if the new kids on the block can compete with the good old fashioned desk chairs!
Did you know? Ball chairs were found to cause spinal shrinkage and poor posture among other negative posture effects. Source
1. Ergonomic chair
While it might seem obvious being on the list, it’s hard to deny that the traditional adjustable office chair is an excellent chair choice.
And generally, the best choice for that matter!
That is provided, of course, that you have a chair with adjustable and functioning components including:
- Height adjustability
- Backrest tilt
- Backrest height adjustability
- Swivel
- Adjustable armrests
Having such components in your task chair will enable your body to be supported while you sit.
This is something not to be taken for granted when choosing an ergonomic chair, as you’ll see when we move through the list. Not all chairs offer a backrest, armrest or even adjustable heights!
Plus, office chairs can be used for the whole day, unlike ball chairs and practically all the items mentioned on this list.
Tip: If you own an ergonomic 24/7 chair, these provide an even more superior level of support and adjustability.
Recommended product: Eurotech Ergonomic Chair with lifetime warranty (link on OfficeFurniture2Go)
2. Standing desk
Sit stand desks are the next most popular choice for increasing activity in the office.
I have seen them growing in popularity in office spaces over the years. I even use one myself every day!
In fact, they would be even more prevalent if people were allowed to buy them!
Standing desks are an ideal accompaniment to an ergonomic chair as you can alternate between sitting and standing throughout the day.
This allows your body to change positions from sitting to standing. This in turn allows you to adopt a more active posture while standing.
If you’re not looking for a full-blown sit-stand desk, there are some noteworthy alternatives which I have listed in this article: 5 types of standing desk converters – ultimate cheat sheet!
Standing desks will assist in improving blood circulation throughout the body.
Provided you have a standing desk that suits your height and you have an ergonomic desk setup, the sit stand desk lets you adopt a neutral posture and even improve your posture while standing.
Additionally, it can help to alleviate back pain which can be associated with sitting for long periods.
Just make sure you choose the right standing desk for your height and needs!
Recommended product: FEZIBO Dual Motor L Shaped Electric Standing Desk (link on Amazon)
3. Standing desk chair
Standing desk chairs and wobble stools are targeted at people who own a standing desk. The concept behind them is that you can use a leaning stool to perch your body on to reduce pressure and fatigue while standing.
Again, these are typically a preferred option to balance ball chairs, especially if you own a standing desk.
Standing desk chairs go by a number of names and have a variety of styles, including
- Wobble stools
- Leaning stools
- Standing desk chairs
It also grants you another posture to choose from. They are also considered active furniture which means that they introduce movement while sitting.
Wobble stools have the added benefit of allowing you to improve your balance and stability.
This can both challenge and strengthen your back and core muscles to work harder to maintain such a posture.
This can be considered one of the pros and cons of standing desk chairs.
In one sense, it’s advantageous to work and strengthen your bodily muscle and stability.
But on the other hand, if you have a weak back and core, you are unlikely to be able to maintain a proper posture for long. This could ultimately lead to a poor posture and back pain.
That’s why they are typically recommended for use for no longer than 1 hour at a go.
Vari Active Seat – Adjustable Standing Desk Chair (link on Amazon)
4. Kneeling chair
A kneeling chair is designed to drop your thighs and support the weight of your body by resting your knees and your shins on a cushion.
A kneeling chair positions you in an angle that allows you to open your hips. This allows you to adopt a more upright posture.
Such a posture can also alleviate pressure on the discs of your back. This posture also engages and strengthens your back and core.
This is similar to the effect that people desire to achieve when using a yoga ball chair.
The rocker kneeling chair can allow you to rock back and forth to introduce some slight movement.
However, the degree of movement will be minimal, compared to the desk elliptical and under desk treadmill which I speak about in the next sections.
Again, it’s only designed for short-term use. You should alternate between a kneeling chair and a standard office chair.
Or alternatively, another position altogether, such as standing at a desk to alleviate pressure on your knees and hips.
Recommended product: DRAGONN by VIVO Ergonomic Kneeling Chair (link on Amazon)
5. Desk elliptical
The under desk elliptical is an accessory to your seat which allows you to conveniently increase your movement while seated. They can increase blood circulation while you sit and can be used at levels from low to high depending on how intense you want to move.
How you should use a desk elliptical depends on your activity and the level of focus the task requires.
Similar to a balance ball, the desk elliptical can also double up to perform exercise too.
Unlike a balance ball chair, the desk elliptical works the legs more than the back or core.
Recommended Product: Sunny Portable Stand Up Elliptical
6. Under desk treadmill
An under desk treadmill is a treadmill that is positioned under your desk while you walk and work.
The treadmill is either attached to your desk or a separate piece of equipment that you can place under your existing desk.
The under desk treadmill is the piece of equipment which will offer you the highest level of activity while working at a desk.
By using a treadmill desk properly, you are far less likely to run the risk of a poor posture.
This is something which is more probable when sitting, particularly on the likes of a balance ball chair.
To add to that, treadmill desks also burn more calories than sitting.
Recommended product: Sunny treadpad slim under desk treadmill 20740
Conclusion
There are a multitude of alternative options to balance ball chairs. Not only that, but many of them are superior in terms of ergonomics and the amount of comfort they provide.
As an added bonus, the calories that many of these items help you to burn is also greater than using a yoga ball chair!
That said, there are the group of people who love their exercise ball chair. That’s fine too – at the end of the day, each option listed above will work for some, but not for everyone.
While both ultimately allow you to sit, they do so in very different postures and offer their own pros and cons which can be seen from above.
If you’d like to broaden your knowledge further on other types of active furniture, then these articles below are without a doubt worth a look!
Here are some other useful articles I wrote that you should go check out:
- What to look for in an ergonomic office chair
- What is a standing desk chair? A quick user guide
- How to choose a kneeling chair? 21 watch outs
- 27 Desk Elliptical FAQs – Must Know Expert Tips & Tricks!
- Treadmill Desk FAQs – Ultimate Guide To 17 Common Issues!
- How To Choose A Ball Chair – 8 Bitesize Steps!
Recommended Products:
- FEZIBO Dual Motor L Shaped Electric Standing Desk (link on Amazon)
- Eurotech Ergonomic Chair with lifetime warranty (link on OfficeFurniture2Go)
- Vari Active Seat – Adjustable Standing Desk Chair (link on Amazon)
- Sunny Portable Stand Up Elliptical
- Sunny treadpad slim under desk treadmill
- Sleekform Austin Kneeling Chair (link on Amazon)