A kneeling chair is a chair made to allow your body to rest in a position which reduces the pressure on your back and increases posture, at the same time. When sitting in a kneeling chair, the thighs are slightly bent inwards at about a seventy degree tilt, as opposed to a straight ninety degree tilt when sitting in a regular chair, and about half of the body weight is also resting on the calves and shins, rather than on your bottom. This greatly reduces the amount of pressure placed on your spinal disks and helps to improve posture. People who sit in a kneeling chair regularly, over conventional chairs, are able to sit in it longer without the feeling of discomfort, do to the kneeling position. The very first kneeling chair was called the Balans chair, and was made in 1979 by Hans Christian Mengshoel and designer Peter Opsvik. They never intended the chair to be beneficial to the spine, rather they merely intended to make a more unique, and more comfortably crafted chair which could cater to the average person much better than normal, conventional chairs already did. Chairs back in that time weren’t as comfortable as they are today, which is why something had to be done and why experimenting took place.
The full intention of kneeling chairs now, though, is to, as mentioned above, reduce the pressure and strain on the back and help to promote a proper spinal alignment. By sitting (kneeling) forward, your spine is forced to be straight, yet only half of your weight is supported by the spine, and the other half is supported by your shins, greatly reducing the pressure felt especially in the lower back. Many people with back problems or pain in their tailbone from long hours sitting in conventional chairs are perfect for the kneeling chair. If you go to the doctor and mention a kneeling chair to them, and you’re having back issues, they will support your decision in getting one 100%.
Not only is the kneeling chair good for proper spinal alignment, it is perfect for working and staying comfortable while on the job. Because of the way you are forced to sit in a kneeling chair, you are positioned perfectly over your desk to get your work done. Not only will you be in “attack position,” if you will, for your work, but you will also be extremely comfortable, which leads to a heightened sense of happiness on the job and thus you will be more productive. One of the main reasons people don’t get their work done to their full potential is because they are not in a good mood, which can be directly, or indirectly, related to their comfort levels while working. A kneeling chair can increase the comfort levels and make you a better, more productive, employee.
The Kneeling Chair May, on Paper, Actually Be Worse!
There were also a few different academic studies done which tested the kneeling chair against other types of chairs in specific cases of spinal shrinkage – which is when the vertebrae of the spine become compressed leading to an overall smaller spinal alignment. This is measured using a tool called the stadiometer, invented by Jurgen Eklund and E Nigel Corlett back in the day.
The study was done using eight different people sitting in chairs doing regular work, where they were leaning forward as people do when performing certain tasks. After the study, it was found that people who sat in in a forward sloping chair (kneeling chair) with knee support actually “shrank” a great deal more than the subjects who used conventional chairs. A few other studies were also performed which can help to conclude that the kneeling chair may actually not promote proper spinal alignment, and might be significantly worse for your back than conventional chairs elsewhere. Even though these conclusions have been made, the kneeling chair can still provide some relief to specific people, and it should be tested if you are experiencing any back pains or problems.
As kneeling chairs are meant to reduce back pressure and increase posture, they are highly recommended by back doctors as a solution to your back problems. Especially for people working long hours in the office day in and day out, a kneeling chair can be your solution to a more comfortable work day.