A Kneeling Chair is Easy to be Comfortable in - Here's How… October 10, 2017 13:30

A Kneeling Chair is Easy to be Comfortable in - Here's How…..

 

Some kneeling chair users find it difficult and even uncomfortable to sit in a kneeling chair and it's important to understand why this might be and how to resolve it.

It's likely that a new kneeling chair user will have previously sat in a traditional office chair, quite possibly for many years so it's only natural that it will feel awkward at first.

You need to bear in mind that sitting in an office seat and sitting in an ergonomic kneeling chair are two entirely different experiences and, as a result your body will need time to adapt to its new open posture seating position.

Just like when you change cars or buy a new pair of shoes, you need to allow some time for things to settle down so your body can adjust to its new environment.

Muscles and bones that have got used to a particular seating position will need to become accustomed to this new environment and it's perfectly normal to feel stiff or awkward at first in your new kneeling chair. When you have been sitting poorly for some time your body needs to build up the core muscles in your lower back and it may be a good idea to try some regular exercises to rebuild their strength.

The next point to bear in mind is that there is more than one way to sit in an ergonomic kneeling seat. When Peter Opsvik designed the original Balans ergonomic kneeling chair over 30 years ago, movement and variation were very much what he had in mind.

He recognised that sitting in the same static position for long periods of time is bad for your body's posture and this hasn't changed.

 

What Is The Best Way To Sit In A Kneeling Chair?

 Well, to begin with the name kneeling chair can be a little misleading as it leads you to believe that your knees are replacing the function of your bottom and taking the bulk of your weight.

 This actually isn't the case. Your bottom should still be carrying the bulk of your weight and effectively the knee pad is there to act as a support for your shins and to a lesser extent your knees.

You should begin therefore, by sitting on your kneeling seat first and then moving into the kneeling position afterwards, even so, the bulk of your weight needs to be on your bottom. Returning to Peter Opsvik's concept of variation and movement, it's important to vary your seating position in your kneeling chair frequently during the day.

 It's always a good idea to keep your existing office chair to begin with, so that you can alternate between the two as you get used to your new knee seat. In fact, some users actually prefer to use both for their future seating arrangements and this is absolutely normal.

 So, to summarise what we have covered in getting comfortable in your new ergonomic kneeling chair. A kneeling chair will likely feel strange to begin with so allow a week or two to get used to it.

 The bulk of your weight should still be placed on the kneeling chair seat, with the knee pads acting as a resting place to reach a stable open body seating posture.

 Movement and variation in your seating position is good and healthy during your working day. So, try different leg positions in your kneeling seat frequently while working.

Retain your old office chair to begin with until you're ready to change over to your new ergonomic kneeling chair full time. In fact, if it suits you keep your old chair long term if you find it works better for you to continue switching between the two types of chair.

If you bear the above points in mind you shouldn't have any problems with using an ergonomic kneeling chair.

 

Is a Kneeling Chair The Right Choice For You?

 The idea of a kneeling seat is so radically different from the type of office chair that you are probably familiar with that you may very well question if it is the right choice for you.

 Such doubts are only natural and to be expected, so let's take a look at the pros and cons of this type of seat and whether it is the best choice for you.

 

Advantages of a Kneeling Chair

The first advantage of this type of seat is that in the majority of cases, there is an absence of levers, buttons and knobs to fiddle with and adjust to get comfortably seated.

 Although some models will have adjustments, they are generally far simpler and only need to be set up once.

 Another advantage of kneeling chairs is it's so easy to get in and out of your seat. You don't need to raise your body up in the same way you would in a traditional office chair. Instead you literally place your feet on the floor and pretty much walk away.

 If you suffer with lower back pain then a knee chair could very likely be ideal for you as it encourages your body to maintain its correct posture and so makes it easier to sit properly. This automatically takes the pressure off the discs and muscles in your lower back which so often cause lower back pain.

 If you endure pains and aches in the underside of your thighs sitting in a conventional office seat a kneeling chair should be beneficial for relieving under thigh pressure. The reason for this is you aren't placing weight on the underside of your thighs.

Disadvantages of a Kneeling Chair

It will take time for you to get used to this completely new type of seating position and it may take several weeks before you feel completely confident with it.  Although a kneeling chair encourages you to sit correctly, some find it difficult to maintain the correct posture for long periods of time. Whilst this will improve as you abdominal and back muscles strengthen, initially you may find you slump a little as your muscles tire.  Should this happen, consider making variations to your kneeling position. So, these are some of the key points to consider in deciding if a kneeling seat is the right choice of chair for you.  It's likely that you'll probably find there's a learning curve in getting used to this alternative form of seating. And, if you are using a conventional office chair it's probably a good idea to hang on to your old chair so you can get used to kneeling gradually by alternating between the two to begin with.

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