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How to Use an Exercise Ball as a Desk Chair (Sizing, Posture Tips, and How Long to Sit)

Nine years at a computer with terrible posture had wrecked my back, my neck, and my shoulders. Sound familiar? Here is the thing about sitting for a long period of time. It’s hard on the body. Most office workers spend long hours working at a computer, leading to prolonged periods of sitting. Low back pain is frequently observed among office workers due to extended sitting durations.

This article talks about how I use an exercise ball as a desk chair.

And your office chair probably isn’t helping. That is why some ditch the office chair and swap in an exercise ball (also called a yoga ball or stability ball) to make sitting a little more active. The idea is that the ball will give you better sitting posture, more core muscle activation, and more freedom to move around.

I’ve actually tested this myself. For a few months back when I first started focusing on fixing my own posture, I rotated between a stability ball and a desk chair. Some of it helped me. Some of it did not, and I will be honest with you about both.

This post shows you how to use an exercise ball as a desk chair the right way. We will cover sizing, posture tips, and how long to sit.

How to Choose an Ergonomic Chair: Features to Look For

Working in an office typically means you’re sitting a lot. 8 hours a day. 40 hours a week. That kind of sitting stresses your back and your spine, and it leads to the pain and discomfort so many of us live with. As someone who sat at a computer with poor posture for 9 years, I know that pain personally. By 2011, my body was broken, physically and mentally.

That’s what got me so interested in computer posture in the first place. I’ve been blogging about my own journey since 2012, became a Certified Posture Specialist through The National Posture Institute (NPI-CPS), and have spent years researching and trying different office chairs along the way.

Trust me, your chair makes a difference. If you’ve been trying to figure out how to choose an ergonomic chair that you’ll actually enjoy, this guide is for you.

Best Ergonomic Office Chair for Lower Back Pain

Let me tell you something I learned the hard way. Sitting at a computer for long hours will wreck your lower back if you let it.

I know because it happened to me. I sat with poor computer posture for 9 years. By 2011, my body was broken, physically and mentally. Then I took full accountability and started fixing my posture and ergonomics mistakes, one at a time.

Best Ergonomic Office Chair for Lower Back Pain — This article talks about my favorite ergonomic office chair that’s helped decrease my lower back pain.

One of those fixes was my chair.

If you sit at a desk job all day, your chair matters more than you think. The wrong one keeps you slumped and aching. The right one supports your spine, keeps you upright without effort, and takes real pressure off your lower back. So today I want to walk you through the best ergonomic office chair for lower back pain, the one I use and the one I recommend to people just like us.

How To Stop Slouching

Slouching is one of the most common posture problems caused by our modern habits.

We sit at desks. We work on computers. We drive cars. We look down at our phones. Then, we relax on the couch and look down at another screen.

How To Stop Slouching — Slouching is arguably the most common, and most destructive, computer posture mistake.

Slouching often feels natural, or even comfortable, in the moment. But when I held that position for long periods of time, it gradually contributed to muscle imbalance, physical fatigue, tightness, and chronic discomfort.

Despite being a lifelong athlete and exerciser, some of the worst injuries I’ve ever had were caused by sitting in a f_ck_ing chair.

That still sounds ridiculous when I say it.

But the human body wasn’t designed to stay frozen in the exact same position all day. Especially when that position compresses the chest, rounds the shoulders, pushes the head forward, and pulls the spine away from its natural alignment.

So today, I’m sharing a practical guide that explains why slouching happens and how I corrected it with simple, consistent workstation adjustments, stretching, strengthening, and body awareness.

Poor Computer Posture: The Cause and Effect Relationship Between Muscle Tension and Chronic Pain

We don’t start off with poor posture as children. It gets worse over time. As adults, sitting at a computer 8 hours a day causes a number of desk job health issues.

In 2012, I started improving my computer posture. It was difficult to learn what good computer posture looked like back then. Learning self-improvement on the internet wasn’t as abundant as it is today.

Poor Computer Posture: The Cause and Effect Relationship Between Muscle Tension and Chronic Pain — Poor computer posture. Photo by Fizkes via Megapixl.

Once I finally learned what correct computer posture was, I couldn’t hold that healthy position for 5 minutes. I’d quickly slip back into a compromised, vulnerable, poor posture.

Even today, correct posture is a daily challenge for me. When I get to my computer in the morning, I have good posture. But even after years of studying computer ergonomics, my posture still gets gradually worse as the day goes on. Correct posture is always going to be a process that I’m working to maintain and improve.

The position we work in isn’t the cause of our chronic pain from desk work. Our pain is the effect we feel. Our poor posture can make our pain worse. But it isn’t the cause.

This article will help computer users understand how muscle tension is the cause of chronic pain.

How To Make A Computer Table More Ergonomic

Most computer tables are designed for convenience. They give us a flat surface for our laptop, monitor, keyboard, and mouse. But that does not necessarily mean they are designed for ergonomic health.

I learned this lesson through personal experience. After spending long hours at a computer table, I developed neck pain, shoulder tension, lower back discomfort, eye strain, and general fatigue. My workstation allowed me to complete my work, but it did not place my body in a healthy position while I was doing it.

The good news is that making a computer table more ergonomic does not necessarily require buying expensive furniture. Even small adjustments to monitor height, chair positioning, keyboard placement, lighting, and posture alignment can significantly reduce strain. These changes can also improve comfort, mental clarity, and work productivity.

Today, I’m sharing my guide on how to make a computer table more ergonomic.

Nothing in this article is medical advice. I’m sharing my personal experience and the habits that have helped me improve my computer posture. Do your research. Make good decisions. And be the best advocate possible for your own healthcare.

Can You Get Scoliosis From Bad Posture

Bad posture can change the way the entire body looks and feels. When someone consistently slouches, sits incorrectly, or leans toward one side, it’s easy to assume that these habits could eventually lead to scoliosis.

Posture and spinal alignment are closely connected. They both affect the position of our shoulders, hips, head, and torso. Because poor posture can make the body look unbalanced, it’s also easy to confuse a postural imbalance with an abnormal curvature of the spine.

Can You Get Scoliosis From Bad Posture — This article talks about the differences, and the similarities, between scoliosis and bad posture.

This confusion can create unnecessary worry about everyday habits like sitting at a computer, looking down at a phone, or carrying a bag on the same shoulder.

I’ve spent years correcting the damage that poor computer posture caused throughout my body. Bad posture caused muscle tension, chronic pain, limited movement, and many noticeable imbalances for me. But that doesn’t mean every postural imbalance is scoliosis.

Today, I’m going to talk about whether bad posture can cause scoliosis, how scoliosis differs from poor posture, and what we can do about posture-related imbalances.

Nothing in this article is professional medical advice. It’s based on my personal experience and opinions. Do your research. Make good decisions. And consult a qualified healthcare professional when necessary.

12 Shoulder Posture Exercises

Computer posture seems complex. But after studying it since 2011, I’ve learned that simple fixes, practiced consistently, can lead to remarkable improvements over time.

Rounded shoulder posture is one of the most common postural issues linked to modern lifestyles. Anytime I place my hands on something in front of me, and leave them there for long periods of time, my torso naturally slouches forward. This specifically applies to a keyboard and mouse.

12 Shoulder Posture Exercises — My shoulders have taken a beating from poor computer posture over the years. This article talks about shoulder exercises that’ve helped me reverse my computer posture tension.

In this compromised position, the shoulder begins to shift forward, as certain muscles tighten, while others become weak and underused.

Shoulder posture exercises are commonly used to help restore balance and retrain how the shoulders sit in a more neutral position.

So today, I’m sharing a round up of shoulder posture exercises that can help address both tightness in the front of the body and weakness in the upper back.

How to Cold Plunge on a Budget

I started cold plunging in January of 2023. There are many health benefits I’ve gotten from it.

The main one: cold plunging has helped improve my blood flow. When my blood flow is improved, my muscle pain is decreased. My muscle soreness is decreased. My muscle recovery is quicker. It’s one of my favorite home remedies for reducing pain and muscle tension. All these health benefits have helped me improve posture at my computer.

How to Cold Plunge on a Budget — Photo by Nesterenkoruslan via Megapixl

Setting up a cold plunge can get expensive and time-consuming. But I wanted to do it multiple times a week. So, I needed to be creative logistically. And I don’t think cold water immersion should be as complex as it seems.

18 Posture Correction Exercises for Hunchback

My thoughts about computer posture run deep. Some people call it “niche.” But I don’t get that. A large percentage of the population sits at a computer for long periods of time. But no one pays attention to their posture. For one thing, it’s complex. And second, no one knows where to start.

Well, the term hunchback posture is a great place to start. It’s becoming more common due to long hours spent sitting, using phones, and working at desks.

This posture can lead to neck pain, back stiffness, reduced mobility, and poor alignment over time.

Posture Correction Exercises for Hunchback — This article talks about all the exercises I used to fix my hunchback.

But targeted exercises may help improve posture, strengthen weak muscles, and increase mobility.

After 18,000 hours of slouching forward at a computer, I’m sharing a round up of the posture correction exercises that helped improved my hunchback the most.

How to Sit Properly to Avoid Lower Back Pain

Sitting for prolonged hours used to put a lot of pressure on my back muscles and spinal discs. This pressure resulted in stubborn lower back pain. This pain was often debilitating. It was painful both when I was in a sitting position and when I was away from my desk. My improper sitting posture was the main variable worsening the pain.

When in a sitting position for prolonged periods, the first instinct people tend to have is slouching forward. We reach for that keyboard and mouse. Everything goes downhill from there. Slouching can strain the spinal discs and overstretch the ligaments.

Years ago, my physical therapist was hitting me in the head for a $50 copay thrice a week. It wasn’t helping. I had to figure out ways to improve my sitting position during the time I was outside of the physical therapist’s office.

Simply “sitting up straight” wasn’t enough to relieve this pain. I had to take an intentional, yet simplified approach. There are many ways to avoid lower back pain and other back related injuries. This article talks about the 4 most helpful habits I implemented on how to sit properly to avoid lower back pain.

Right Standing Posture

Good posture helped improved my energy level and work productivity. It’s also helped decrease my computer-related pain.

Good posture has helped me distribute my body weight evenly, plus reduce unnecessary strain on joints and muscles. It’s also helped me improve my balance, breathing, and overall comfort throughout my workday.

But on the flip side, poor standing posture can contribute to back pain, neck tension, fatigue, tight hips, and muscle imbalances over time.

So, I’m dedicating this post to talk about the right standing posture and how you can develop it over time.

Yoga Poses for Back Pain

My thoughts on yoga have been very positive. Yoga is a great exercise that both stretches and strengthens my muscles. I like to practice gentle yoga where I find a position in between comfortable and challenging. I don’t overdo it. Also, I enjoy hot yoga versus a yoga practice that’s done in a room at regular temperature. I like to get there 10 minutes early before the class starts. This way I can rest on my mat lying flat on my back before class. During this time, I focus on my breathing. Breathing in the warmer air is calming and relaxing to me. It also helps my blood circulate better, which makes my muscles work better during the yoga practice.

Keep in mind, nothing I write about is medical advice. I simply talk about my experience. I share the computer posture mistakes I made. And then I share how I fixed them. Do your research. Make good decisions. And be the best possible advocate for your own healthcare.

Physical therapy is great when you find a good therapist. But that’s often more of a hands-on approach by the therapist. You can only learn so much there. We also need to practice those good habits as much as possible in our daily lives, 24 hours a day / 7 days a week. Yoga practice is a great way to learn the work ourselves.

Cervical Spine Exercises

The degenerative disc disease in my cervical spine used to cause a lot of neck pain. Years ago, I’d look down at a computer screen 40 hours per week. My front neck muscles would compress and get shorter. My rear neck muscles would overextend and get longer. Holding my neck in this long term position caused a lot of dysfunction and muscle confusion.

The cervical spine is located in the neck and upper back. It’s the uppermost portion of the spine. It’s made up of the top 7 vertebrae. Having a healthy, strong cervical spine is incredibly important to maintain good postural habits at a computer. It plays a huge part in supporting the head.

Fixing My Neck: Cervical Spine Exercises

To fix my neck pain, the first step I took was to better understand the natural curves of the spine. Next, I would do neck stretches to improve my range of motion. Finally, strengthening the muscles around the cervical spine has helped improve my posture. The most effective method of neck strengthening for office workers is to use an Iron Neck. To learn more, I wrote an Iron Neck Review that can be found here.

Prolonged sitting in front of a computer can increase the risk of injury and neck pain. This can happen regardless of how good or bad our posture is. However, having strong and flexible neck muscles in a good postural position will help resist injuries. Once my posture suffers, neck pain is much more likely to happen quicker. Exercise and frequent movement can help prevent this from happening. So today, I’m dedicating a post on cervical spine exercises that can help improve the strength and flexibility of the neck muscles to help prevent injuries and neck pain in the long run.

How to Fix Back Posture

Poor posture has become increasingly common due to desk jobs, phones, long hours sitting, and lack of movement throughout the day.

A lot of people do not realize their back posture is affecting their energy, mobility, confidence, and even chronic pain levels, until their symptoms worsen.

In this article, I’m sharing a guide on how I fixed my back posture from sitting at a computer for long periods of time.

How to Keep Good Posture

Getting into a correct posture position doesn’t have to be complex. The hard part is to maintain good posture for long periods of time. Especially, when we’re sitting standing at a computer.

Good posture is more than standing up straight. It affects the way my muscles, spine, and joints function throughout the day.

Poor posture often develops gradually from sitting habits, screen use, and weak postural muscles. It causes repetitive strain and overuse injuries. This poor posture can lead to a massive amount of discomfort over time. And learning how to avoid this is a good idea.

In this article, I’m sharing a guide on how to maintain good posture using simple habits and lifestyle adjustments.

How to Relieve Shoulder Pain from Sitting at Desk

The anatomy of the shoulders is very complex. There are several joints that connect the tendons and muscles that allow you to move your arms. There are a lot of factors that contribute to shoulder pain at work, including sitting at your desk for a long time, using a computer mouse, typing on a keyboard, and awkward postures while working.

This complexity is a big reason why people suffer from shoulder pain. It’s complicated and people don’t know where to start.

Today, I’m going to share my most basic, actionable, good posture habits to avoid shoulder pain at work.

How to Tell if You Have Bad Posture

Bad posture has caused some of the most stubborn injuries I’ve ever had. Especially because I used to sit at a computer for long periods of time. Fixing repetitive strain and overuse injuries will not be easy, but good posture is attainable with consistency, focus, and hard work.

Bad posture often develops gradually, making it difficult to notice (until discomfort or visible changes appear).

Spending hours sitting, looking at screens, or repeating movements slowly affect alignment. Then we hold those vulnerable positions for long periods, which makes things even worse.

Learning how to recognize the early signs of bad posture can help prevent long-term strain, pain, and mobility issues.

In this post, I’m sharing a round up of bad posture signs to watch out for.

What are Ergonomics?

The definition on ergonomics is “the study of people’s efficiency in their working environment” (definition credit: Google/Oxford Languages).

Ergonomics are much more than just posture. Posture is the position of a person’s body. In our case, the position we are in while sitting or standing at a computer workstation.

Posture is an important variable. But when we add the variable of working for an extended period of time, it’s important that our ergonomics aims at a well-rounded practice of multiple variables.

What are Ergonomics?

Sitting and standing at a computer for long periods of time delivers a high risk of injury. It’s up to us to ensure we are working in a safe working environment. I understand that sometimes we are at the mercy of external factors. A lot of work just has to be done on a computer. Often, there is a lot of that work. This requires us to work in the same vulnerable position for long periods of time, which brings an increased risk of injury. However, there are plenty of human factors we can practice in order to maintain safe work at a computer. Today, I’ll talk about 4 subtopics of computer ergonomics that are very important for safety and health. They are sleep, breathing, hydration, and posture.

What Causes Bad Posture

I got my first office job back in 2002. I’d been carrying heavy weights in the gym throughout college. But I had no idea that sitting in front of a computer would cause the most stubborn injuries I’ve ever had.

I sat with poor posture for 9 years. I didn’t even know what posture or ergonomics meant.

I’d quickly learn how excessive muscle tension would pull my musculoskeletal system out of alignment. This would cause back, shoulder, and neck pain (just to name a few).

What Causes Bad Posture — Learning what causes bad posture was the first step I took to correcting my computer-related pain.

Bad posture is something most people notice only when it starts causing discomfort, stiffness, or pain. And in 2011, I noticed. I was broke down, both physically and mentally.

While it may seem like a simple habit, poor posture is usually the result of multiple underlying factors. Learning what actually causes bad posture is the first step toward correcting it and preventing long-term strain.

In this post, I’m sharing a round up of habits that contributed to my bad posture. As well as practical ways I improved my posture in daily life.