Why Chiropractors Recommend Stability Balls
By Sara Butler
The environment you work in has a huge impact on the health of your spine. The office chair you may be using might not be the best thing to promote proper posture and health while you’re working. As a result, headaches, back pain, and neck pain can strike. If you have a job that requires long hours at a desk, there is another option: switch out your chair. The answer to your pain problems at work might just be to use a stability ball instead. Here are some of the benefits to your spinal health a stability ball can provide.
What is a Stability Ball?
You’ve probably seen these things at the gym. Stability balls are large, inflatable balls used in physical training. They help to engage your core muscles and improve muscle stability and balance. That’s why it makes such a good replacement for a desk chair – because it helps you to sneak a little fitness into your day!
Some companies have caught onto the benefits of using a stability ball as an office chair and added some features that make it even more useful in an office setting, such as lumbar support, wheels, and arm supports. If you try a balance ball and it helps, then you may want to consider going without a chair.
How Stability Balls Help Your Spine
There are a few ways stability balls help your spine when used in place of a chair. They include:
- Toning core muscles – While you work you are forced to engage your core muscles in your abdomen in order to balance on the balls. This keeps your muscles engaged and also encourages more movement throughout the day, helping to support a healthy spine in the process.
- Back pain relief – Stability balls have been found to help increase circulation in the body, which can help to relieve pain when sitting for long periods of time. Combine this with a spine free from joint dysfunction and restriction and you’ve got a winning recipe to fight against back and neck pain. Plus, a stability ball reduces the likelihood of slouching all day.
- Better posture – When your spine is free from restriction and dysfunction, then better posture comes naturally. A stability ball helps to encourage this and can lead to less back and neck pain due to poor posture all day long.
Of course, it’s not healthy to sit in any one position for too long. You should get up and move at least once an hour. But a stability ball will help you to stay active throughout the day and keep your back healthier too!
To learn more about your health and wellness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Magnolia, Tex.