Gaiam Classic Balance Ball Chair – Ergonomic Stability Chair for Desk & Office | Yoga Ball Seat with Base, Air Pump, & Exercise Guide | Improves Posture & Core Strength (300 lb Capacity)

I’ve wanted a balance ball chair ever since I read a few articles praising them on Lifehacker. I already owned a cheap balance-ball, but had no base or way to really stabilize the ball. After reading endless reviews and going through the questions/answers here on Amazon, I finally decided to bite the bullet and order the Gaiam Balance Ball Chair.In the box is one chair frame (disassembled), one 52cm balance ball (deflated), a hand pump (borderline useless) and a nice, well-illustrated booklet containing exercises/stretches to use with the chair.The chair itself is a cinch to assemble – the casters simply press into the base, then the back support clicks into the base and is held in place with 2 twist-in bolts. Finally, 4 small nuts hold on the wire ball support (a little wrench is provided). All in all, assembly takes under 5 minutes.The ball is a different story – the ball needs to be at room temperature before inflating. You only want to inflate the ball about 80%, then let it acclimate and stretch for about 24 hours. Gaiam provides a small hand pump, but it’s incredibly tedious an inefficient to use. I used a bicycle pump and inflated the ball to about 42 cm (about 16.5”), then left it sitting for 24 hours.Note: By 42cm, I don’t mean the circumference of the ball. I marked off 42cm from the wall, placed the ball against the wall, and inflated until the edge of the ball touched the 42cm mark on my tape measure. After acclimating, I followed Gaiam’s directions and inflated the ball fully to 52cm (about 20.5”). The ball, being fully inflated, needed some manipulating to fit into the chair frame, but nothing too difficult.Before I purchased the ball chair, my main concern about the chair was height – I am only 5’0” tall, and was afraid that the chair would leave me sitting too low. Turns out, the opposite was true – once the fully-inflated ball was in place, I was seated up very high, and my feet did not touch the floor. Gaiam’s instructions say to inflate the ball so that the thighs and shins should be at a 90° angle to the floor. If your hips are higher than your knees, deflate the ball. Conversely, if your hips are lower than your knees, you need to inflate the ball to find that ‘sweet spot’ for your height.I ended up deflating the ball until my feet were able to touch the floor – as a result, the ball was not as firm and had more ‘give’ to it, but the ball is still quite comfortable. I have to make slight adjustments to keep myself stabilized, which activates my core. I also have to sit up straighter instead of slouching or leaning forward (as us shorter people are prone to doing). The chair’s ‘back’ isn’t really meant as a support structure; per Gaiam’s instruction booklet, it’s strictly for stability during exercises.Work your way up to using a balance ball chair – I recommend ditching your office chair and going to the balance ball chair full-time. As you become more conscious of your posture and core, you’ll be utilizing muscles previously neglected. So, work your way up to the chair – I spent a few hours in the ball chair, then a few hours in my regular office chair until I felt comfortable going ‘full-time’ with the ball chair. I do not use the ball itself for any exercises, though I do perform some of the seated stretches from the included booklet.Now, my posture is so much better, my lower-back pain is near nonexistent, and I can definitely feel a difference in how my core feels. I also don’t experience the tailbone pain that I used to have after a long day of work.For under $80, you won’t find a better chair.

It took some adjusting to get the right amount of air (be sure to follow directions and deflate 50%, 2nd inflation after 24hrs allowed the ball to stretch and become the height I needed). I also at first put the back support on backwards (most reviews did as well) but once everything was done correctly my lower back is relieved! I have minor scoliosis in my lower back and combine that with adhd, I could never get comfortable or sit still. I initially got this to help avoid “office chair bottom” and to do mini exercises while working, but now my spine is happier too. It’s the perfect height to sit properly at my desk (I’m 5’4), still need to use a foot stool but my main concern before buying was that the height would be too short, but it’s perfect! Only complaint is the wheels could be a little better, I might get larger ones that roll smoother but they do the job for now. I will never go back to a regular office chair.

This item is just as described by Amazon.Thumbs up - there is a lightweight, plastic pump in the box to blow up the ball. It is easy enough to set up that my daughter set it up in just a few minutes by herself.The fit ball is small, not the huge exercise ball that you normally see in a fitness area. It is a bit rough, not a super smooth, shiny surface. This prevents the person seated from sliding around on the ball.The main body of the chair is a very sturdy, hollow plastic. Smooth but not shiny. The back of the chair is extremely flexible. If you were a very large person this could be a problem if you prefer to lean back or sit back on the chair. The design of the chair though encourages me to sit forward and I spend very little time resting against the back of the chair. And no, this does not seem to get uncomfortable or make me sore in any way. It is quite comfortable.The wheels are plastic and a bit small, but they do move ok on both carpet and tile.If I were to have a complaint, it is that the chair sits quite low. Some sort of height adjustment piece of two to four inches would be helpful. However, being seated at the lower height, even though you look a bit like a young child sitting at a large desk, helps to keep the person sitting in a straight, upright position rather than being stooped over the top of the desk. My height is 5' 2", so if you are taller this might not be a concern for you. I have to raise my elbows just slightly to rest them on the desk. Which, by the way, also prevents my wrists from getting sore while I type on the keyboard. My arms are straight and rest on the surface of the desk.If you are much shorter than I am, you might want 1) a shorter desk, 2) a taller chair/height extenders, 3) a bigger fit ball.Overall, the quality of the chair is good and I have noticed a lot less body aches since I am not bending over the desk so much.

I just love my yoga ball chair and it fits perfectly in the space that I need it for! Also, I love that the fact that the ball pops out easily so I can use it individually for workouts. I can tell it’s helping my posture and the pump that comes with it is easy to use and it’s nice to have around anytime I want to add extra air to it.