Are Kneeling Chairs Really Better for Your Back?
With the information technology movement, more and more of us hold jobs where we spend the majority of the day sitting in front of a computer. Sitting for eight hours a day can wreak havoc on your back, causing chronic back and neck pain. So you can see why it’s so important to have the right chair at your desk. In the 1970s, the kneeling chair made an appearance in the market, and they’ve been around ever since. But are kneeling chairs really better for your back? Or do they just suck?
A kneeling chair is designed so that the person sitting is in a kneeling position, which support specifically under the buttocks and at the front of the knees and top of the shins. While it has been debated over the years as to whether or not a kneeling chair is better for your back than a standard chair, there are a few recommendations that we can provide if you decide to give a kneeling chair a shot:
- Only use a kneeling chair for short-term tasks, especially when you’re first giving it a try. Some people find kneeling chairs comfortable for computer work, and others don’t.
- Make sure you buy a kneeling chair that has rollers which allow you to move around while you work.
- Purchase a kneeling chair with an adjustable frame—people with longer legs will need a different “fit” than those with shorter legs.
The notable benefits of using a kneeling chair are that it positions you with an open hip angle, which aligns your back, shoulders, and neck. Furthermore, these chairs reduce neck pain or lower back pain for some people, and they make forward-reaching tasks much easier.
However, there are some cons to consider as well. A kneeling chair confines your legs to one position, which means that pressure under the kneecap can actually slow down circulation in your legs.
If you’ve tried a kneeling chair in the past, we want to know: What do you think?