We were not designed to be deskbound for eight hours a day, with little exercise other than tapping a keypad. However, a new generation of fitness equipment is changing all that. From treadmill desks to mini exercise bikes, there's no excuse for time-poor office workers. Here's a selection of the latest fitness gizmos that give you a workout while you work.

GAMERCIZE USB DESK STEPPER

What it is A miniature stepping machine. Linked to your computer by USB, it gives you a cardiovascular workout at your desk.

How it works When you step at the equivalent of a brisk walking pace your mouse and keyboard operate as usual and you burn up to 400 calories an hour. Hesitate, however, and they grind to a halt. The machine is probably most suitable for an edgy workaholic or a deeply reluctant exerciser. Once you have plugged the sport-stepping machine into your computer's USB port, if you want to work on screen, you have to exercise. There's no longer any excuse for not having the time to exercise.

The maker also suggests that it can help circulation and claims that it reduces “the risk of deep vein thrombosis for the deskbound”.

Cost £99.90 plus delivery from www.gamercize.net

POWERBALL

What it is A vibrating ball.

How it works This gadget is perfect for improving your hand grip and arm and shoulder muscles. Use it while you're on the phone to sublimate your frustration with awkward callers. You set it in motion by pulling a cord against which you have to push and press to build up your muscles.

Cost From £14.95 at www.ukfitnesssupplies.co.uk

WOBBLE BOARDS

What it is A board with a squashy ball or pivot stuck on the base.

How it works An office version of skateboarding, you stand on this gadget and the effort required to balance tones your whole body, especially hips, bottom, thighs and lower back. Ideal for jobs that require endless standing; guaranteed to liven up the day of any bored security guard or shop assistant with no customers. Or use one of these while making phone calls in the office. Or buy a set and hold meetings on them: it would unquestionably speed up proceedings.

Cost From £49.50, www.physicalcompany.co.uk

TREADMILL DESK

What it is Workstation with a treadmill.

How it works This gadget encourages you to walk slowly while working at your desk. A study by Professor James Levine, an endocrine researcher and treadmill desk enthusiast at the Mayo Clinic in the US, found that workers could burn an extra 100 calories an hour by working and walking at just 1.1mph.

Cost As yet only on sale in the US, but coming to the UK soon - www.steelcase.com or www.treaddesk.com . For a cheaper version see www.treadmill-desk.com , a blog for enthusiasts who explain how you can build your own.

FIT-SIT DISC

What it is An inflatable chunky, plastic wedge that is flat on one side and dimpled on the other.

How it works The packaging shows this device neatly snuggled like a weird-looking cushion on the seat of an office chair. Perch on it and you will be forced to slightly wriggle and right your body throughout the day to stabilise yourself so that you tone your body while you are working. This is reputed to strengthen upper body, back, feet and leg muscles.

Cost £21.95, www.physicalcompany.co.uk

AIRDESK EXERCISER

What it is A gizmo from the US that holds your laptop at the right height so you can work while using fitness equipment.

How it works This simple but ingenious trademarked kit looks like a microphone stand and does much the same job, securing any laptop at any height. You can install any cardiovascular equipment in your office - an exercise bike, treadmill or crosstrainer - and check e-mails while working out.

Cost From £100, www.airdesks.com

GOLD'S GYM MINI EXERCISE BIKE

What it is An under-desk exercise bike.

How it works Pedal away while you type and burn off calories, or put it on your desk and pedal with your hands for an upper-body workout. With adjustable resistance, you can start slowly and increase the intensity of your workout. Non-slip grips keep the bike in place while you pedal away and a mini computer console displays time, distance and calories burnt to help monitor progress. It's so discreet that your colleagues might not even notice, but be sure that your desk has enough leg room for spinning knees.

Cost £39.99, www.dietandfitnessresources.co.uk

BOSU BALLAST BALL

What it is A large inflatable ball with 2.5kg of metal ballast inside.

How it works Sit on one of these instead of your office chair. Fitness industry professionals insist that it promotes “active sitting”. In other words, you wobble around a lot and it's pretty uncomfortable - you can't lean back; you can't slouch - so you have to pull your whole body up and this strenghtens torso muscles and improves posture.

Cost £55.95 from www.physicalcompany.co.uk

MINDSPA MEDITATION MACHINES

What it is A handheld light-and-sound unit, with goggles and stereo headphones.

How it works Billed as a workout for the mind, the MindSpa can be used for 15 minutes in your lunch hour if you are feeling stressed, can't concentrate or need to focus. During a session, lights flash and are synchronised with sound patterns.

Cost From £195, www.meditations-uk.com

SPRINGFLEX UB

What it is A portable fitness machine from the US that fastens to your desk so that you can pump iron in the office.

How it works This device attaches to your desk and apparently allows you to do more than 120 exercises for an upper-body workout. The website's sales literature shows a muscle-bound man sitting at his desk in white underpants and trainers. Turn up like that and your co-workers will be hiding under their desks.

Cost $89.95, www.skymall.com

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