On average, French workers spend 8 hours a day sitting in front of their screens.
This sedentary lifestyle is recognized as one of the main preventable health scourges. In addition to pain and musculoskeletal disorders, it is responsible for a decrease in metabolism, energy, alertness, concentration, and motivation. For employers, this translates into a loss of productivity and an increase in absenteeism.
It is therefore urgent to reinvent how we sit at work. Faced with this observation, some companies and remote workers are turning to dynamic seating, particularly the office ball chair.
Inspired by the Swiss Ball used in physical therapy and fitness, the ergonomic ball creates slight instability, promoting micro-movements and engaging postural muscles to break away from daily static positions. Thanks to this more active posture, workers gain comfort and well-being at work.
Discover the benefits of an office ball chair, how to use it effectively, and which Bloon model to choose.
What is an office ball chair?
Although they are inspired by exercise balls, office ball chairs stand out for their comfort and stability. Unlike their gym counterparts, these ergonomic solutions are specifically designed for sitting for long hours at work.
It is a hybrid seat between a fitness tool and an ergonomic chair, adopting the principles of a stability ball while integrating features designed for the office to combine the benefits of both without their drawbacks.
Why sit on a ball chair at work instead of an office chair?
Unlike a classic chair, the office ball is unstable and has no backrest or armrests. And that is precisely what makes it so interesting.
Its controlled instability promotes what is called dynamic sitting.
You are therefore much less static than on a traditional chair, thus breaking away from the harmful effects of a sedentary lifestyle.
This is why the office ball chair is attracting more and more companies and remote workers, as it allows them to:
- Introduce movement into the sitting position without interrupting work
- Improve posture and prevent muscle tension
- Promote comfort and concentration at work
What are the concrete benefits of the ergonomic office ball for workers?
Stay in shape even while working
The office sitting ball transforms a sedentary lifestyle into invisible activity. Even when sitting, the body performs constant micro-movements to maintain balance, continuously engaging core stabilizing muscles, lower back, and deep pelvic muscles, without any conscious effort.
This light activity throughout the day helps stimulate metabolism, limit muscle stiffness, and counteract the negative effects of prolonged sitting, including gradual weight gain and loss of muscle tone. It can be compared to the N.E.A.T. concept (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis), which is the total calories expended outside of deliberate physical exercise.
By regularly engaging the deep muscles, your abdominal belt tones up and your overall posture improves, with a positive effect on both your figure and your daily physical well-being.
For athletes, the ergonomic ball is also a valuable ally. Spending 8 static hours behind a screen can largely cancel out the benefits of a workout. While the ball chair doesn't replace training, it preserves what you've built, keeping the body in a state of light activation between sessions.
Improve posture and reduce tension
Unlike a classic chair, the office ball does not allow you to slump against a backrest. To stay balanced, the body naturally adjusts. Your pelvis is placed in a neutral position, your spine straightens, and your core muscles engage. This is called active lumbar stability, a key mechanism in preventing back pain.
This natural correction of posture prevents thoracic kyphosis, that rounded back so common among screen workers, and reduces the pressure on the lumbar discs.
Where a desk chair immobilizes the body in the same position, the ergonomic ball requires constant micro-adjustments that prevent stagnation and repeated localized stress. They also promote better blood circulation, reducing feelings of heavy legs, numbness, and muscle fatigue at the end of the day.
Thus, your body is less stiff, less painful, and generally more comfortable, even after long hours of work.
Stimulate concentration and attention
The ball chair stimulates not only your body but also your mind. Indeed, constant physical engagement promotes blood circulation and brain oxygenation. This physical awakening prevents your brain from "going into standby mode," improving alertness, mental clarity, and concentration.
This is also why the sitting ball is often recommended for people with ADHD, for whom light movement plays a regulatory role in attention.
Reduce fatigue and stress at work
By improving both venous return and breathing, the ergonomic office ball reduces fatigue and stress at work.
You suffer less from numbness, which is exhausting for both the body and mind. You thus regain a more stable feeling of energy throughout the day, useful for combating the famous 2 PM slump.
Through its constant micro-movements, dynamic sitting can contribute to the release of endorphins, the feel-good hormones.
What are the benefits of office ball chairs for employers?
While there are immediate benefits for office ball users, the same applies to businesses.
Offering dynamic seating to employees can be part of a Quality of Life and Working Conditions (QVCT) policy and contribute to your brand image.
Combat absenteeism linked to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)
According to Ameli, working conditions are the primary cause of MSDs, such as neck tension, lower back pain, and other muscle stiffness. In 2023, musculoskeletal disorders accounted for 87% of occupational diseases and back pain for 22% of work accidents.
According to INRS, the cost of an employee on sick leave for MSDs exceeds €2,500.
As such, the office ball chair can serve as an ergonomic prevention measure and become a strategic investment for companies by reducing the risks of MSDs and therefore the resulting sick leave and absenteeism.
Promote productivity at work
By promoting mental clarity, alertness, concentration, and motivation among workers, the office ball has a positive impact on productivity and company performance.
Employees who are comfortable in their work environment are more engaged in their tasks and are more efficient. They complete their tasks faster and make fewer mistakes.
Improve the company's QWL
Offering active and ergonomic furniture allows the company to show that it cares about the health of its teams.
Office balls, the dynamic seating par excellence, promote employee well-being by making their workday more pleasant both physically and mentally.
Enhance the employer brand
Office sitting balls are both an aesthetic and practical asset for furnishing professional spaces.
Our Bloon models come in all textures and colors to match any professional space. In fact, we can customize our covers in your company's colors.
Furthermore, ball chairs enhance your brand image by contributing to employee satisfaction. In addition to strengthening their engagement, this promotes talent retention and word-of-mouth for your future recruitments.
How to choose a suitable sitting ball for the office?
Ergonomic office ball vs. fitness ball: why choose a ball specially designed for work?
At first glance, the two look similar. In practice, they have little in common.
A standard gym ball is not suitable for prolonged sitting. Its size is not optimized, not to mention its lack of comfort and stability. It rolls away as soon as you stand up, deflates during the day, and looks out of place in a neat office or home.
An ergonomic office ball, intended for daily and prolonged use, meets very different requirements. It must be more resistant, stable, and comfortable. Moreover, these are real pieces of designer furniture and not just simple plastic fitness accessories.
Selection criteria for a sitting ball for professional use
To choose the right ball chair for work, here are the non-negotiable criteria:
- Safety: opt for burst-proof resistance and a non-slip coating.
- Stability: the weighted base stabilizes the ball and prevents it from rolling every time you get up.
- Quality: choose a washable cover that is resistant to rubbing and pleasant to the touch for greater comfort during prolonged sitting.
- Practicality: a carrying handle is essential in flexible offices for easily moving from one workstation to another.
- Design: a colored plastic ball has no place in a professional space or a well-kept interior. Prefer a ball chair that perfectly integrates into your workspace.
Choosing the size of your ball chair based on your morphology and desk height
The size of the ball is crucial to reap all its benefits.
Here's a simple test to check if your office ball is the right size: when seated in the center, your knees should form an angle of approximately 90 to 100 degrees, with your pelvis slightly above knee level.
Consult the Bloon size guide to refine your choice based on your morphology and desk height.
Which Bloon office ball to choose for your workspace?
For remote work
At home, the challenge is twofold. Your ball must be ergonomic during working hours and decorative once the computer is turned off.
The Bouclette, Velours Côtelé, and Lin collections meet this challenge with noble and warm materials that blend into any interior like true designer ottomans.
The ball offers multiple benefits for remote workers, as it allows for varied seating positions and maintaining an active posture without investing several hundred euros in an ergonomic chair. Moreover, it can be multifunctional, takes up less space, and is easy to move.
For professional offices
In companies, robustness and sobriety are paramount.
Our Original collection, with its resistant fabrics and elegant colors, naturally integrates into classic workspaces while maintaining a refined design.
For Open Plan Offices or Relaxation Areas
In a flex office, the ball must be able to withstand intensive use and be easily movable.
Our Urban collection ticks all the boxes: ultra-resistant, water-repellent, and stain-resistant fabric, with a 360-degree handle for effortless workstation changes.
This collection is also perfectly suited for relaxation areas.
For meeting or collaborative rooms
For meeting or collaborative rooms, our capsule collections with our designer pieces, in collaboration with Pierre Ferey or Casamance, are the most suitable. With their colors, abstract or geometric patterns, our artistic ball chairs will stimulate creativity and keep teams awake during long meetings and brainstorming sessions.
How to effectively use an office ball chair?
Gradually replace your office chair with an ergonomic ball
The ball chair engages deep muscles that are not used to working continuously.
Starting full-time from day one is the best way to get discouraged.
Start with 30 minutes to an hour a day, then gradually increase to two to four hours daily, or more, depending on your comfort.
Alternate the office ball with a traditional chair
Ergonomics advocates above all variety of postures. The ball excels at maintaining active sitting and varying positions.
Nevertheless, for certain tasks, at the beginning of use, or as soon as the body shows signs of discomfort, do not hesitate to switch back to your ergonomic chair.
Alternating between the two allows you to give your body what it needs at the right time, especially at the beginning of use when it is not used to an active posture.
Sitting on a ball chair in an ergonomic posture
A desk ball does not automatically correct bad posture if you don't follow a few basic rules:
- Feet flat on the floor
- Legs uncrossed
- Knees at 90-100 degrees
- Pelvis in a neutral position, slightly higher than the knees
- Back straight and shoulders relaxed
- Screen at eye level
- Forearms resting naturally on the desk with elbows at 90°C
Find all our tips for sitting properly on your ergonomic ball.
Practice active breaks with your sitting ball
The office ball naturally encourages movement.
Between two meetings, a few pelvic tilts, gentle spinal stretches, or shoulder openers are enough to release accumulated tension and start afresh.
You can also use it as a fitness accessory for real active breaks. Find our 10 best exercises to do at the office with a ball.
Conclusion
Sedentary behavior at the office is avoidable, or at least reducible. Simple to adopt and accessible, the office ball chair allows you to reinvent your way of sitting, whether you are a teleworker, an employee in an open space, or an HR manager concerned about the well-being of your teams.
Well-chosen and intelligently used, it improves posture, stimulates concentration, reduces pain, and preserves energy throughout the day. This modest investment can have a real impact.
Ready to transform your way of working? Discover the Bloon collection and find the model that suits your space.
To learn more about all the benefits of the ball chair in everyday life, read our article on the subject.
FAQ: Ball chair at the office: benefits and tips
Why sit on a ball chair at the office?
The office ball offers many benefits for users, including staying active while sitting and correcting their posture to prevent tension and MSDs. Mentally and cognitively, it promotes attention, alertness, concentration, energy, and motivation.
Why should companies consider purchasing ergonomic ball chairs for their teams?
For all business leaders or HR managers concerned about the health and well-being of employees, the ball chair is an interesting investment. First of all, the active posture helps reduce back pain and MSDs, the leading cause of occupational illness.
By stimulating the energy, cognitive functions, and motivation of their teams, the company's performance and productivity improve.
Finally, investing in Quality of Life and Working Conditions (QLWC) enhances your brand image.
Can you permanently replace your chair with a ball?
Yes, provided you choose a ball chair specifically designed for the office, like Bloon models. Unlike a standard gym ball, our ergonomic balls have been developed by an osteopath to ensure comfort and safety for an entire workday.
Can you stay on an office ball all day?
With an ergonomic ball chair designed for this purpose, yes. This is precisely the objective of Bloon models, designed to replace the office chair daily. However, a standard gym ball does not offer the support, stability, or comfort necessary for prolonged sitting. The difference between the two is not insignificant.
What size ball for a standard 75 cm desk?
A 65 cm ball is suitable for most users measuring between 1m55 and 1m80, which corresponds to desks adjusted between 72 and 75 cm in height. In this case, you can opt for our Regular models.
Which ball to choose for working at the office?
To work at the office with a ball, opt for an ergonomic model, specially designed for prolonged sitting, adapted to your size and needs.
Bloon ball chairs are designed for professional use and are available in different sizes to suit everyone.
How to sit properly on your office ball chair?
To use your ergonomic ball at the office, sit on it with your feet flat on the floor, knees bent at 90 degrees, and your back straight.