Day 5: Use an Exercise Ball

Swap out your uncomfortable office chair for a healthier alternative. Exercise balls can improve posture, help alleviate lower back and sciatic pain, and provide a mild workout. And, they're just plain fun! 

 

If you've never used one before, it might take you a couple of minutes to get the feel of it. When you're ready to move beyond just sitting, there are a multitude of ball exercises out there.

 

Let's start with a basic ball sit-up: 

 

Step 1: Lie on your lower back on the exercise ball with your feet flat on the floor about a foot apart. 

 

Step 2: Put your hands behind your head with your elbows out, just as if you were doing a typical sit-up while lying on the floor.

 

Step 3: Raise your upper body up from the ball and lower it back down after a short pause.

 

Step 4: Breathe out while contracting your abdominal muscles and breathe in while returning to the starting position.

 

For more exercises, Ball-Exerfcises.com [1] is a helpful website. The site also provides detailed safety precautions.

 

See the complete library of Workplace Fitness exercises. [2]