What Is a Ball Chair?

A Ball Chair is actually a fitness ball used as your primary seating device. The thought behind the Ball Chair is to accomplish a couple things:

1. Comfortable seating to alleviate lumbar pain or discomfort.


2. Stimulate and possibly strengthen your core.


3. Allow you to move around and not be stagnant for extended amounts of time.

There have been many recent developments with creating complementary hardware or bases to place the fitness ball in, that give it the appearance and feel of the standard office chair. Some of them happen to be carefully engineered to look like a normal office chair.

Evolution and History of the Fitness Balls

• 1963 - The initial fitness ball or "Swiss-Balls" was made by Aquilino Cosani. He was able to build a process for making puncture resistant balls. Those balls were then generally known as "Pezzi balls".


• The Pezzi balls were first used in various programs for newborns and infants by a British physiotherapist employed in Switzerland named Mary Quinton.


• Thereafter, Dr. Susanne Klein-Vogelbach, the director from the Physical Therapy School in Basel, Switzerland used the ball for physical therapy for neuro-developmental treatment. The balls were used to help remedy adults with orthopedic or medical problems.


• 1980's - The Pezzi ball technology was introduced to America and referred to the ball as the "Swiss Balls", put to use in rehabilitation for the people with spinal injuries.


• 1990's - The fitness balls was moved into the athletic paradigm and is now quite popular in the fitness world. The fitness ball is used commonly in athletic training, fitness routines, aerobic classes, yoga sessions, physical therapy, pregnancy, gardening, offices as well as in classrooms. It would appear that functions for the balls are nevertheless developing.

Precisely what are Fitness Balls composed of?

Exercise balls are constructed of plastic vinyl or PVC (plastic vinyl, however some are burst-resistant while others usually are not. Fitness balls usually have a diameter of 35 - 85 centimeters (14 - 34 inches). Some will be more durable, created to hold more weight and in most cases will cost you a little more. It is suggested that the exercise balls are inflated to the appropriate level, and also the valve stem is used to seal air inside. Some exercise balls have "stayball technology" engineered inside, with a substance that's added inside to keep it in position.