What's a good balance board for a standing desk?

September 7, 2015 1:33 AM

I use an adjustable desk at work, and alternate between sitting and standing. After a coworker mentioned the Level, I really want to try using a balance board while standing, but maybe not a $400 one! So what should I look for instead?

Additional details, in case they're necessary:
- I'm 1.65m (5'5") tall and weigh 78kg (170lb).
- I have slightly weak ankles, and a physiotherapist once recommended I do exercises for them, like standing on one foot and trying to catch a ball. They don't hurt or get sprained frequently, though. Would standing on a balance board part of the day be helpful or dangerous?
- I work in an open-plan office, so a board that doesn't make an obnoxiously loud noise against the floor would be useful!

posted by daisyk to Health & Fitness (1 answer total)

after looking at a few on amazon i'm thinking it would be pretty easy to make your own. a larger diy store that sells offcuts might have a suitable piece of wood, and then you just need something round to go underneath (and perhaps some rubber at the edges to stop it from being too noisy).

one possibly significant difference between the fancy one and the ones on amazon is how stable it is. the ones on amazon seem to be less stable, while the fancy one appears to have a much smoother curve that would make it easier to balance on (i imagine). one way to make a simple home-made board more stable would be to use it on a rubber mat, i guess, which would also make it quieter.

so i'm going to poke around a diy store tomorrow and see what i can find...
posted by andrewcooke at 7:04 PM on September 27, 2015