In this guide, I will teach you how to pick the best balance board or mat for your standing desk based on your needs. I will also cover some of the benefits and drawbacks to using a balance board with a standing desk.
I will assume you already have a standing desk or workstation and will not be reviewing any particular standing desk or stand up desk converter.
I will not be spending much time listing the benefits of using a standing desk I am also going to assume you have already been sold on that.
If you are looking for reviews and buying guides for standing desks or sit to stand converters, I have found an excellent resource for that here.
What are the benefits of balance training and using a balance board with your standing desk?
Improving your balance helps improve your coordination, i.e., your ability to control your own body.
Improving your ability to control your body while also being forced to make decisions to correct your posture to stay balanced helps to improve your overall agility, i.e., your ability to control your body under stressful situations quickly.
This improvement in coordination and agility can help to improve your performance in sports, to feel more comfortable and confident with your body and reduce the risk of taking falls.
For an in-depth discussion of how balance training can help to improve your coordination and agility among other things check out the book, balance is power by Jim Klopman and Janet Miller.
I think the main reason people get interested in using a balance board with a standing desk is that standing in the same position for an extended period can get unforgettable.
Balance boards and mats allow you shift your posture around to help prevent that painful feeling you get when standing in the same position for too long.
Balance boards and mats are also perfect for people that like to fidget and move around a lot because they provide a way of letting that energy out.
How to choose the right balance board for a standing desk
Try to avoid using advanced level balance boards, they are made to be used for shorter periods of time and require total concentration to avoid taking a fall.
You might not be able to get any work done if the only thing you are concentration on is trying to stay balanced. Most balance boards made specifically to use with standing desks are designed to be easier to use so you can use them for extended periods of time while maintaining a healthy posture without having to spend much energy concentrating on it.
Choosing a balance board that promotes healthy postures is key because it can help to avoid injuries.
Some balance boards can cause your ankles to roll inwards or outwards when using them, this can be fine if you are only using the board for short periods of time but if you are staying in this position for long periods, it can be unhealthy for your ankles.
An important thing to consider mostly for people who are using sit to stand converters that are not able to rise that high is if the balance board will elevate you to high that your keyboard and monitors end up too low to use in a comfortable position.
Also, most balance boards have a weight limit so make sure to check with the manufacturer if that is a concern for you.
Anti-fatigue balance mat vs balance board for standing desk
Balance mats are made of a softer spongy material similar to anti-fatigue mats but have raised and concaved parts that will allow you to shift your feet around to many positions that will allow you to stretch your calfs or hips out, massage your feet and to challenge your balance.
These mats are less risky to use and provide a much less intense way to train your balance than using a balance board.
These mats would be best for,
People not allowed to use balance boards at their job due to liability issues
Beginners to balance training that wants to work their way up to using a balance board
People who do not want the intensity of using a balance board
People who are worried about taking a fall using a balance board
Popular anti-fatigue mats for standing desk for improved balance.
The Topo Mat
The Topo mat is one example of a balance mat, that has ridges and nubs that give you a lot of different ways you can stand on it
The tope mat is 26.25" from front to back 2.7" tall (at the tallest point) x 29" wide, and it made out of 100% polyurethane foam.
The CubeFit TerraMat
The CubeFit TerraMat is another example of a good standing desk balance mat. This mat also gives you a lot of different options of ways to use it. My favorite feature on this mat is the balance bar on the front of the mat with nubs in it for massaging your feet.
The dimensions of the Cube TerraMatare are 30.5 from front to back x 27.5 wide x 3.5 inches at its highest point.
I could not find out exactly what this mat is made out of, but the material provides the same sort of firm spongy feel like a flat anti-fatigue mat.
some of the best Standing desk balance boards.
Fluid Stance Balance Boards
Fluid stance boards were specifically designed for use with a standing desk.
Fluid stance offers a few different models of balance boards, but they all have a similar design that will allow you to rock from side to side, from heel to toe and twist the board.
Allowing you to work on those three movements will make this board a bit more work to use, so this board is good for someone who wants a more challenging board that will offer a greater range of possible movements.
The fluid stance boards are some of the most expensive boards made for use with a standing desk so it may be a good idea to try and convince your company to pay the bill for the board.
Note that the fluid stance has a few different balance boards in their line up but they only sell one of them on amazon (as seen next to this) You can find the other models are their site Here.
The Steppie Balance Board
This is another balance board specially made to use with a standing desk.
The steppic balance board is designed only to allow you to rock side to side while maintaining a healthy neutral position of your ankles and knees.
Due to only being be able to rock side to side this board will be much easier to use than a board like the fluid stance that allows you to rock side to side, from heel to toe and twist the board.
This board would be good for someone who wants something a bit more challenging to use than a balance mat and much less difficult than the boards offered by fluid stance.
The Pono Ola Balance Board
The pono ola balance board is a unique multipurpose balance board that will work well with a standing desk.
This board is unique because it is not a rocker type balance board instead it has four small inflatable balls that sit under each corner of the board that will allow your to gently shift the whole board from side to side or heel to toe. Also, these balls will act like shock absorbers that will enable you to bounce the board up and down and give you a more comfortable platform to stand on.
Another thing I like about this board is that you can adjust the air pressure in the balls to make the board more or less challenging to use.
This board would be a good for someone who wants a safer balance board that will be comfortable to stand on all day.
This board would also be a good alternative to an anti-fatigue mat or a balance mat.
Balance boards to avoid
Small disk wobble boards will be too twitchy to use all day long and do not promote good ankle posture.
Boards that are half of a stability ball mounted to a flat base. These products can be 10 or more inches tall this may leave you standing up too high to use your standing desk or sit to stand converter depending on how high your model will raise up.
On top of that, they do not promote healthy ankle or knee posture using one of these boards could cause an injury if used for extended periods of time.
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Please share your experience with balance board or mats below I would love to hear your experiences, I will continue updating this guide as new products or information comes out.
How much time per day do you spend standing or using your balance board? What are some of the benefits you have experienced from balance training with using your standing desk?
Have you had any negative experiences with using a balance board or mat with your standing desk? If so what type of board was it and how long were you using your board per day