So I came across this random tip today that suggested getting some easy exercise in is to switch out your chair (work chair or whatever one you sit in most commonly) to an exercise ball.

I kind of want to do this! I do a LOT of sitting. Do you guys think it'd be worth doing, or too much pain and not enough reward, or that there'd be no reward? I'd miss having a backrest, probably, but it'd be pretty fun sitting on a ball too

I've actually heard of this. They even sell a base to set your ball on. I saw it on Amazon.com - it's supposed to be very ergonomic.

my aunt has back issues and she has done this for years. It helps to strengthen your core and work on balance.
I had a ball for years and I would use it sometimes, but i found it was hard to be so much lower than my furniture. But a balance ball is a great work-out tool, so its not have bad thing to have around regardless. It can't hurt, right?

I actually do this, and I love it! While I'm watching TV or something I'll just sit on my ball. When I'm on it I can't resist bouncing, so instead of sitting on the couch doing nothing, I'll be bouncing around.

I like my ball better than my couch!

There's also another version of this that you can set on your chair. It has a flat bottom and the "top" of a ball on the other side. So you can sit in your regular chair and kind of on a ball too. I've only seen it once but it's out there!

I sat next to a guy who used one of these for a while, and it seemed really cool... he liked it a lot, even though he had to buy a new one every few months (we were on a concrete floor, and all it took was a stray piece of gravel or something to puncture it). I thought I'd like it too, and borrowed it for a day, but I found I hated not being able to "swivel" in and out of it like you can with a normal desk chair, or swivel to turn around and talk to someone. I had to very deliberately sit on it, and deliberately get off it if I wanted to turn around or get up. That probably wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't been in such a close-knit, social office, though.

Oh im glad you brought this up! I was wondering the same thing - wether or not it really helps anything.

Makes sense that it improves balance and core strength... I tried to sit on mine while @ the computer for awhile, but never stuck with it.

I like 'playing' on mine while I watch TV too.. fun!