Cutting Edge Office Chairs: Kneeling Ergonomic, Saddle Ergonomic and the Exercise Ball Office Chair
If you work in an office environment and most of us do, chances are when you go to the water cooler one of the discussion points will be back pains.
This issue has been circulating for at least 30 years. It has been a quarter of a century and we are still hearing about it. It is not as if we don’t know what causes most of these complaints. Studies have for a majority of these instances pin pointed the culprit as either sitting rigidly for hours on end or the opposite which is slouching when one is working at his or her desk.
The next question would be have we identified a cure or plan in which we can prevent or lessen these instances? Oddly enough we have. I say oddly because we know what to do but we are not translating the information to action. Countless doctors have given advice upon advice on how to alleviate these back, neck and spinal pain caused by our modern office culture and circumstance. Notes have been sent out and posters place on walls instructing us to take that break and go thru the 5 minute exercise routine every couple of hours or so. Almost no one follows it. It’s a will issue in offices, we know how to but we won’t. This is why it makes sense to try another approach, furniture like the exercise ball office chair. These have been manufactured for good back support; promotes proper posture and provides comfort to the user. If these are used then we can eliminate the will issue of individuals and move directly to improving office health.
I am assuming as others do that the only reason the change in office chairs has not happened earlier is because of the price. We would assume wrong as fortunately the cost of these chairs are comparable to each other. A regular computer chair is priced at $100 upwards and the more progressive chairs cost $80 and above. I have searched the internet as well as stores and below the price ranges of the back friendly chairs for your reference. The kneeling ergonomic chair is from $80 to $360. This chair has no back and the person has to assume a modified kneeling pose. The design aligns the neck, back and shoulders to promote good posture. Next is the Saddle ergonomic chair which starts at $170 all the way to high end $999 chairs. This chair is shaped like the saddle of a horse and puts the user in a semi sitting and standing position. This allows the legs to drop naturally and creates comfortable and stable stance. It also promotes good blood circulation. Last but not the least is the exercise ball office chair. Usually from $85 dollars to $200 a chair, it encourages movement and active seating thru balancing. Using the ball discourages slouching as it will not allow for proper balance and actively shifting slightly maintaining balance will improve posture.