We desk workers are always being encouraged to exercise more. We’re told to do seated moves like shoulder shrugs, get up and walk around, do a few stretches, and practice good posture throughout the day. Office furniture pieces such as the adjustable height workstation that promotes more movement and changes in position are becoming increasingly popular. So, it’s not surprising that the trend of the ball chair is also making an appearance again. After all, it forces you to constantly adjust your position just to stay firmly seated. Isn’t that the perfect answer?

Not necessarily. While using an exercise ball that is housed in a chair frame might be OK for a while, using it all day every day could cause a different set of ergonomic problems. Duncan MacIntyre, everyone’s favorite chair advice blogger lays out the pros and cons in this great article. Check out the links at the end for opinions by ergonomics specialists on what can happen if you sit on a ball all day! Among other things, they point out that users can slump just as easily on a ball chair as on an office chair.