Awhile ago, I built a standing desk.
My neck and back would generally start aching by the end of the day, so–I thought I might be able to remedy the issue by spending more time standing while I worked.
At first, this worked brilliantly. My back and neck felt better almost immediately, but the effect was limited by the fact that–after about an hour–my legs feel fatigued.
This surprised me because I walk happily for hours–on hikes and the like–but standing still feels like a chore after an hour or so.
I read an article about people working on balance boards and thought might remedy this issue. As the name implies, they generally involve a board with a built-in fulcrum of some sort. So, when you stand on one, you have to passively balance yourself to keep from falling off.
To experiment with the idea, I borrowed my girlfriend’s foam yoga roller and put it under an old table top we had lying around. This rickety combo likely sounds ill-advised, but it was surprisingly easy to stand on.
Moreover, I found myself able to work on it for hours without getting tired.
At the same time–because of the size of the roller and dimensions of the tabletop–it may have been providing too much movement because my knees began aching after a few weeks.
So, I wanted to test out a commercially available option, and the folks at Black Mountain were kind enough to send me one to review.
The appeal was immediate.
Rather than having to combine two different pieces like I had been, I can just toss the board in front of my computer and go to work.
The balancing element is great because it forces me to use micro-movements to keep upright. And, while I anticipated that, I didn’t realize how much of the time I rest my weight on one leg primarily until I got this.
Given that the balancing element requires me to distribute my weight evenly, I found myself able to stand longer than if I was just standing on the floor.
Beyond that, the top has a textured top–which is great for traction and helping me stay upright.
Also, it’s a little shorter than some of the other boards I’ve seen, which means it requires less work on your part to stay upright–which may make it easier to focus on the task at hand.
Lastly, because the base is a half sphere–rather than a half cylinder like other options–the board moves in every direction–thereby providing more opportunities for movement.
Plus, it’s the most affordable of the all the options I considered–which makes it a great option for testing out.
Anyway, if you want to check it out for yourself, you can find it here.
Thanks!