I first heard of the ball chair when Leo Laporte mentioned he sat on one when recording his This Week In Tech podcast. I thought, that sounds like a good idea. I must have one. And I clicked over to Amazon.com.
I have had issues with my back for years and was looking for something that would help strengthen my core while sitting at my computer all day. This ball chair claims to allow both of my goals to be met and the price is not bad either when compared to other office chairs.
Not being a very patient person I was a little disappointed to have to wait 24-hours while the ball was inflated at 60%-70% percent (cannot remember the exact amount). But my lack of patience isn't the ball's fault. This was necessary to condition the ball so that it would not pop when being used. I found it impossible to use the cheap plastic hand pump that came in the box as it was not even air tight. it did not pump any air at all. Luckily I had a tire pump that had a nozzle that would work with the ball. By day 2 I was ready to test out chair.
I put it in front of my computer, sat down and realized I was sitting too high to reach the keyboard without slouching. Hmmm. The instructions say it is okay to let some of the air out to remedy this. I felt a bit like Goldilocks as I let out some air....no, too low...add a little more air...no, too high....let out some more air...ah, there, just right.
I noticed right off that the ball chair was very uncomfortable. My lower back started aching immediately (it is not used to having to work). I had read other reviews and took their advice to only sit on the ball chair for 10-15 minutes at a time and build up. After about a week I could stand to sit on it for quite sometime without causing the muscles in my lower back to hurt. In fact, as I walked around, I could actually feel where my muscles had become stronger. This ball chair was really doing what they said it would! My spare tire was ever-so-slightly firmer.
However, my rear-end was in constant pain as what I thought would be a soft, bouncy cushion turned out to be a hard, round piece of rubber. I thought I would get used to this too and eventually the chair would not hurt my behind. But after a few weeks, that has not yet happened. Each time I would eventually have to get up and switch back to my old office chair. This week I did not use the ball chair at all. I know it is good for my back, but it is just too uncomfortable for my backside.
I am a 6-foot tall man who has a big rear-end taking up most of the ball's surface......Maybe this chair would be fine for a skinny woman who does not have the weight or mass to cover the ball. Or maybe it is a pain in the rear-end for everyone. I guess I just need to toughen up and take my yoga ball like a man. ;-)