- With Mayo Clinic physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist
Edward R. Laskowski, M.D.
read biographyclose windowBiography of
Edward R. Laskowski, M.D.
Edward R. Laskowski, M.D.
Dr. Edward Laskowski is certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, including subspecialty certification in sports medicine, and is a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine. He is co-director of the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center and a professor at College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic.
He has been on the staff of Mayo Clinic since 1990 and specializes in sports medicine, fitness, strength training and stability training. He works with a multidisciplinary team of physical medicine, rehabilitation and orthopedic specialists, physical therapists, and sports psychologists.
Dr. Laskowski is an elite-level skier and an avid hiker, cyclist and climber. He approaches sports medicine from the perspective of a physician and an athlete.
In 2006, President George W. Bush appointed Dr. Laskowski to the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, and he has received a Distinguished Service Award from the Department of Health and Human Services for his contribution to the Council.
Dr. Laskowski was a member of the medical staff of the Olympic Polyclinic at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and has provided medical coverage for the Chicago Marathon. He serves as a consulting physician to the National Hockey League Players' Association and is a featured lecturer at the American College of Sports Medicine's Team Physician Course.
Dr. Laskowski, a Cary, Ill., native, has contributed to Mayo Clinic's CD-ROM on sports, health and fitness, a website guide to self-care, and hundreds of Mayo Clinic articles and booklets in print and online. He is a contributing editor to the "Mayo Clinic Fitness for EveryBody" book, and he has presented lectures throughout the world on health, fitness and sports medicine topics. His teaching expertise has been recognized by his election to the Teacher of the Year Hall of Fame at Mayo Clinic.
"There are many myths and misconceptions about exercise and fitness in general, and also many traditions that don't stand up to scientific scrutiny," he says. "My goal is to provide the most up-to-date and accurate information on sports medicine and fitness topics in a way that you can practically incorporate into your life."
Causes (1)
- Tarlov cysts: A cause of low back pain?
Treatments and drugs (3)
- Disk replacement: An effective treatment for low back pain?
- Epidural steroid injections for back pain: Why limited dosing?
- Myofascial release therapy: Can it relieve back pain?
Lifestyle and home remedies (1)
- Back pain relief: Ergonomic chair or fitness ball?
Alternative medicine (3)
- Inversion therapy: Can it relieve back pain?
- Acupuncture for back pain?
- Prolotherapy: An effective treatment for low back pain?
About our e-newsletters
- Free e-newsletters
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- We do not share your e-mail address
Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
Housecall Archives
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Question
Back pain relief: Ergonomic chair or fitness ball?
For back pain relief, is it better to sit on an ergonomic chair or a fitness ball?
Answer
from Edward R. Laskowski, M.D.
If you work at a desk, your choice of desk chair is important. For back pain relief, a properly fitted ergonomic chair is generally the best choice. An ergonomic chair will help you maintain correct posture and provide maximum support for your back.
For some people, however, there may still be a role for a fitness ball at work. Sitting on a fitness ball encourages good posture and promotes core strength. You'll also have more freedom to move while you're seated, which can be helpful if your back pain is aggravated by prolonged sitting.
On the downside, holding yourself on a fitness ball requires good balance. It can be tiring, and some people find it uncomfortable. You might want to experiment with various types of desk chairs to find out what feels best for you.
Next questionInversion therapy: Can it relieve back pain?
- Kingma I, et al. Static and dynamic postural loadings during computer work in females: Sitting on an office chair versus sitting on an exercise ball. Applied Ergonomics. 2009;40:199.
- McGill SM, et al. Sitting on a chair or an exercise ball: Various perspectives to guide decision making. Clinical Biomechanics. 2006;21:353.
Find Mayo Clinic on