Low back pain plagues many people who sit for long hours while working. The pain can make it difficult for you to focus on your tasks and to perform well. It can interfere with your sleep and affect your quality of life, not only in the office, but also at home. Sitting increases the stress that is placed on your sacroiliac joints and the discs of your lumbar spine. It puts a constant strain on the ligaments and muscles of the sacroiliac joints. It also can put such a constant load on the discs that may cause them to herniate. Combine the time spent sitting at work with the time spent sitting at home and commuting and you are setting yourself up for a perfect storm of low back issues.
If only there was a way for people to reduce the amount of time they spend sitting so that their spine can be healthier and they can enjoy life without suffering through excruciating pain or the fear of reinjury.
I remember, one time I was in the furniture section of a store and they had what was called a kneeling chair. I had never seen one before and thought it looked strange. Skeptically, I tried it out thinking it was going to be uncomfortable and that I was going to fall off. However, unexpectedly it felt amazing. My posture greatly improved. My shoulders automatically went from a rounded position to perfect alignment. My torso was upright instead of being hunched over. My body just naturally and automatically went into perfect posture with no conscious effort. Even better was that I felt no stress on my low back. It was amazing. I stayed on the kneeling chair for about 15 minutes, truly in awe of how great it felt.
There is a study that compared the alignment of the spine when sitting in standard office chairs vs. kneeling chairs. Standing maintains a curvature of your spine that is much less stressful on the lower back than when sitting. When a person sits on a regular chair, the curvature of the spine is reduced, placing more stress on the discs and ligaments of the spine. In this study, the baseline measurement was the alignment of the spine when the subject was standing. The reviewers of the study said that the results "suggests that ergonomically designed kneeling chairs set at +20 degrees inclination do maintain standing lumbar curvature to a greater extent than sitting on a standard computer chair..."1 I have been recommending the kneeling chair to my patients who come in for low back pain and neck pain. The following is the most common feedback I get from those who have purchased and used one.
There were two main complaints. The first is that it took time to get used to the resting on their shins. For most this "adjusting" period took about two weeks. The second complaint is that it doesn't fold so you can put it away, but then again how many high quality office chairs fold? It was really a matter of not having space for both a office chair and a kneeling chair. They had to make a choice and 100% chose the kneeling chair. The reduced low back discomfort was the deciding factor. Many also reported that they noticed less tension in their necks and upper backs as well.
Here are the kneeling chairs that I recommend to my patients. They have tried them and are very happy with them.
This chair is adjustable, so you can have some control over the height of the seat. This may be important for shorter or tally individuals. It can support up to 250lbs.
This one is similar to the Dragonn. The difference is whether you prefer the look of a wooden frame or an alloy frame. It is adjustable as well, but only supports up to 200 lbs.This is a rocking kneeling chair. It adds the benefit of being able to rock back and forth to continuously redistribute the stress on your spine and keep your core active. It is not adjustable, so it can only be used with standard sized desks. The lack of adjustability can also be an issue for short or tall individuals.
This is a rocking kneeling chair. It adds the benefit of being able to rock back and forth to continuously redistribute the stress on your spine and keep your core active. It is not adjustable, so it can only be used with standard sized desks. The lack of adjustability can also be an issue for short or tall individuals.
