The best standing desk balance board is supportive and easy to use. Lateral tilting needs to be second nature on these boards so that you improve focus and productivity while working at the desk.
When you stand for long periods, you might face stiff legs or reduced blood flow. Balance boards for standing desks improve mobility and blood circulation throughout the day. These are the balance boards you can consider for your standing desk.
1. FluidStance Balance Board for Standing Desk
If you’re working or learning at a standing desk, you’ve probably heard of FluidStance. Their standing desk balance board is made to keep you active. It aims to offer an alternative working position at least 10% of the time you spend at the desk. This means it’s made to help you balance out your standing posture for up to 48 minutes in a full working day.
It achieves this by simplifying and making the design of the balance board truly geared towards the users. For example, it’s one of the few balance boards that users side stoppers so that you don’t slip on one side when you lean a bit too much.
With a combination of plastic and rubber, it helps you maintain posture, work those legs, and increase heart rate by around 15%. If you know how to use it, you will be a more active person at the desk. As with all other balance boards for standing desks, this is not meant for all-day standing.
Pros
- Made from recycled old tires for added grip and environmental care
- It uses a molded recycled plastic bottom
- Included rubber bumpers to stop excessive movement
Cons
- It should be available in more colors
2. Whirly Board-Wide Standing Desk Balance Board
The Whirly Board is made by a man with enthusiasm that has seen these types of products as the perfect gateway to stay active. Some people use the Whirly Board purely for fitness, but here at standorsit.com, we see the potential for this board at standing desks.
The balance board for stand up desks is made with 3 balance points. It uses a large balance point made out of ½ of a bowling ball and 2 smaller balance points on each end. This means this balance board is a bit more difficult to master at first, but also the most beneficial in terms of muscle engagement.
Simple and efficient, this board is one of the few that comes with a lifetime warranty. It’s probably not the most refined product on the list, but it’s built to last.
Pros
- All-in-one balance board for standing desks and fitness
- Included low impact workout videos (great as office exercises)
- It eliminates body fatigue
Cons
- Longer learning curve
3. Base+ Standing Desk Balance Board
You can twist, rock, and balance your body weight on this balance board. Made with non-marking rubber, it can be one of the few products you can safely use on almost any type of floor. This office balance board supports a maximum user weight of up to 250lbs and this means it’s quite reasonable in terms of durability.
Users like its elegant bamboo deck the most. This makes it look a bit more expensive than it is. On the bottom side of the deck, you find the aluminum honeycomb-style support so that you can sit on any area of the board. This allows the stable platform to move to left and right, forwards, backward, and even to be used for twisting movements.
Pros
- Made with a bamboo deck
- Weight tested to 250lbs
- Built with a reinforced metal frame
Cons
- Difficult to twist
4. StrongTek Anti Fatigue Balance Board
StrongTek offers one of the leading solutions if you need a limited tilt angle or if you simply don’t like balance boards with rubber balls. With a limited tilt 8.5 degrees angle, it’s made for longer periods of standing.
This board also comes with a textured rubberized surface. It can be one of the most useful massaging boards for your feet. We know that standing and even sitting for too long is bad for your feet. This is why such a texturized surface can work so well for most of those working at a PC.
Pros
- Made with a high 400lbs weight limit
- Unique textured latex massage points
- It feels easy to control
Cons
- It doesn’t tilt forwards and backward
5. Smart Anti Fatigue Balance Board Mat
With included massage balls, this balance board is one of the most multi-purpose products you can find. You can use it to massage your feet and improve blood flow. But one of the main reasons you get this board/mat is because it bends and it simulates walking. You can’t do this on any other balance board for a stand up desk.
Most importantly, this affordable standing desk balance board helps you stay productive. Used as a message board and a balance board, it provides the moving platform you need to avoid standing in the same position for hours.
Pros
- It massages your feet
- You can simulate walking on this board
- ISPAdesign award winner
Cons
- Not the most beautiful balance board
This is how you use a balance board
You can use a balance board for up to 30 minutes without a break before feeling uncomfortable. The idea is to rotate standing on a balance board with standing and even sitting through the day. This will help you maintain an elevated heart rate and even burn up to 100 calories per hour.
You learn from one side to another on a balance board. The movements are rather short so they don’t impact your focus. If your board supports forwards and backward leaning, you can also learn how to do it without taking your eyes off the monitor. Rotating your body is one of the movements you also need to master as it engages core muscles, hips, and thigs with extra calorie expenditure.
The benefits of using a balance board for standing desks
There’s a long list of benefits for balance boards and this is why you see them in offices more frequently. But they are a top accessory for better health for those with desk jobs.
- Balance boards enhance productivity
If used correctly, standing desk balance boards improve productivity. They are an outlet for energy expenditure without interfering with the work you do at the desk.
- Balance boards can improve posture
Since they engage core posture muscles, balance boards help you improve posture. With stronger legs and back muscles, standing desk balance boards can be used as an aid for correct posture/
- Most balance boards improve coordination
All of the muscles activated by standing desk balance boards improve the ability to coordinate your body. This ability tends to diminish in a few years for those with desk jobs who aren’t physically active.
- Balance boards help you lose weight
Most balance boards can be used to lose weight. You can burn up to 100 calories per hour which can equate to 500 calories per week. You get to burn up to 2 heavy meals per week which helps you stay fit in the long-term.
FAQ
Are balance boards good for standing desks?
Balance boards are good additions to standing desks to prevent long hours of standing. The risk of extremes is real when moving from a purely sitting desk to a purely standing desk. Balance boards promote the composed approach where you are as active as possible at the desk without interfering with your work.
How long should you stand on a balance board?
Most stand up desk balance board brands recommend tilting and swimming on the board for up to 20-30 minutes at a time.
Will a balance board damage my floor?
Your floor should be fine when using a rubberized balance board. A protective floor mat can be a useful addition if you fear possible damages.
Do balance boards help you lose weight?
If used only 30 minutes per day, balance boards can burn around 500 calories per week. This equates to around 33 minutes on an exercise bike and it can be said a balance board can replace a short cycling session if used daily.
Are balance boards safe?
Balance boards are safe as long as they don’t sleep. Make sure you get one with rubber stoppers so that it limits the tilting angle as much as possible.
What’s the point of a balance board?
The main reason to get a balance board is to improve posture. Secondary reasons include increasing blood flow or blood oxygenation, burning calories, and improving focus.
Standing desk balance board vs mat – which is better?
Standing desk mats reduce feet’ pain but they don’t burn calories as standing desk balance boards do. Standing desk mats are also not made to increase core strength and coordination.