Move at work, we said. Get up from your seat, we said. Stand sometimes, we said. Walk down the hall, we said.
Turns out, there are even MORE ways to move! That don’t necessarily require getting up from the desk. (Though you should still be doing that too.)
Active Seating
No, this is not the latest trend in rock concerts. This type of seating allows or even promotes movement by the sitter. It’s also known as dynamic sitting. Flexibility and movement even while sitting can add to the health benefits of moving at work. Most of these encourage activity in your core muscles.
Rocking chairs are the OG active seats.
So you’ve got your desk ergonomically laid out. Maybe you even have a standing desk. When you’re sitting down, your wrists are parallel to the floor, your knees are bent and feet flat on the floor. Looking straight ahead, you can see your monitor.
At least that’s how you start off the day! Hours later (or even minutes later!) maybe the slouching starts. Active seating can help prevent slouching too!
Balance balls aka stability balls
You might be familiar with these. They were the first active seating types widely promoted at the office. They promote active core muscles. People of different heights should use different size balls, ranging from 18-inch diameter on the short end and 30 inches for the very tall.
However, they do have a tendency to roll around. Especially if your office has a tile floor! Plus, you need to make sure you’re still in an ergonomic position while sitting on it. 90-degree elbows, eyes on the screen, etc. You can now buy supports for your ball (ball chairs) that prevent it from rolling away.
As with a sit-stand desk, build up to longer periods on the ball. Don’t try to spend all day sitting on it when you first get it. Your abs probably aren’t strong enough yet to support proper posture.
Wobble stool
Workers wobble but they don’t fall down! These seats allow you to rock back and tilt without falling over, while still engaging the core like a stability ball. The grip on the bottom prevents the stool from moving around. It doesn’t move like a desk chair or a ball will.
They’re more height adjustable than a ball “chair”, so they work better with your sit/stand desk.
As with everything else, build up your wobble time! Your abs need to adjust to being in constant use.
