Exercise is something that I struggle with on a daily basis especially since I’m constantly in my office sitting at my desk. If only I could exercise while working at the same time. It made me realize to try out an exercise ball.

Disclosure: I was sent the complementary exercise ball at no cost to facilitate this review. All opinions and reviews are my own.

RECEIVING THE DYNAPRO EXERCISE BALL

• The DynaPro exercise ball comes in a box with everything that is needed including the ball, pump, plug, extra plugs, and plug remover.
• Instructions are easy to follow. Pumping the ball only took 6 minutes to fill with air.
• You have to wait for 24 hours before filling with more air and to fill the ball to the full size that you want.
• Now you have to find a home for your office chair.

GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR PURCHASING THE EXERCISE BALL

If using the ball as a chair, I suggest purchasing the next larger size for your height. Or you can measure your current chair and get the right ball size with the same height of your current chair. Just remember that the ball will compress when you sit on it. When sitting on a ball:

• Feet should be planted on the floor
• Knees should be level with the pelvis (creating a 90 degree angle)
• Body should not be leaning and should be aligned.

MY EXPERIENCE USING THE DYNAPRO EXERCISE BALL:

I’ve been using the ball for the past two weeks and have had excellent results. Once you get used to sitting on a ball and being able to balance on it, I find myself bouncing on the ball lightly while sitting when I’m between doing tasks and reading. It’s easy to maneuver the position of the ball from one side of my desk to the other side. Initially I started biking before I started sitting on the ball and my back was sore from biking. After a couple of days of sitting on the ball, my back pain went away. I knew that my core muscles were weak and I had to strengthen it. Sitting on the ball has definitely helped my back. 🙂

Sitting on the ball also has helped my posture. You have to sit properly to make sure you don’t fall off the ball. I like that sitting on the ball makes me more aware of my posture.

Because exercise balls loose pressure from regular usage and causes the ball the stretch, I have had to pump the ball after 1.5 weeks of using it daily. It’s a minor inconvenience but the benefits of having a better posture and less back pains overcome the couple of minutes it takes to unplug and pump up the ball.

BENEFITS OF USING AN EXERCISE BALL

• Forces proper spine alignment. Having good posture enables you to balance on a ball. Having better posture helps decrease back pains.
• Improves your balance and circulation since you are constantly changing positions on a ball.
• It’s an inexpensive solution to purchasing an ergonomic chair. Spending $20-$30 is cheaper than buying a $100-$300 chair.
• Burn more calories while sitting since you move more on a ball rather than when sitting in the same position for hours in a regular chair.
• Feel more energized since moving on a ball helps gives you energy as opposed to sitting in one position which promotes tiredness.

I recommend purchasing a DynaPro exercise ball for anyone who spends their entire day in an office (at home or at work). It’s a great way to get a bit of exercise while doing what you are already doing—sitting down.

What’s your experience from using an exercise/workout ball as a chair?