Ergonomic Kneeling Office Chairs

Working all day at a desktop or worktable is demanding on the body. An ergonomic kneeling chair is an alternative to prolonged sitting or standing at a desk, which can put pressure on the lower back or hips, leading to fatigue, joint pain, or even injury. Check out all the kneeling posture chair options at Staples® to see how they may eliminate common health problems associated with deskbound tasking at the workplace.

An Ergonomic Kneeling Chair Provides Balanced Posture
Originally called a Balans chair, after the word for "balance," a kneeling chair forces the lower back to arch with a balanced pelvic shift for natural back curvature. This posture reduces pressure on the facet joint that gives the back its flexibility. The balance encourages an "active sitting position," with full alignment of the back, shoulders, and neck. Instead of sitting at a 90-degree angle as in a regular chair, a kneeling one makes a person sit at about a 20-degree forward slant, engaging core abdominal muscles that reduce the strain on the facet and pelvis. By reducing lower-back compression, the chair minimizes the inflammation that causes pain.

The Basic Design of an Ergonomic Kneeling Chair Blends Functionality With Styling
The intrinsic, posture-balancing design of this type of chair makes it appealing as well. The frame has the cross-braced leg shape of an ironing board, with a split pad divided into a perpendicular, upper-level seat pan and an inclined, lower-level kneeling pad. The cross bracing architecturally bows or buttresses with side brackets to provide support, but the contemporary engineering of the bracing also adds to the styling of the kneeling chair itself.

All other elements of the chair can assume any style and design that characterize a standard chair. A kneeling posture chair seat contours normally from the edge to keep hips balanced in the pan, and it also has pads with dense memory foam covered in an array of fabrics or leather and in different colors and patterns. The frame, made of stained or polished hardwoods, features plated, brushed, or powder-coated steel or aluminum castings. The base comes in a variety of designs, including chrome-plated, five-star shapes.

What Are the Benefits of an Ergonomic Kneeling Chair for the Lower Back?
According to the Arthritis Disease Center, up to 80 percent of people have back pain, many times posture-related, and often due to all-day sitting or standing. The posture chair and the protective foam padding that braces the knees minimize the occurrence of the four common pain-related back ailments from incorrect posture. They are: lumbar lordosis or outwardly bowed lower back, swayback or outwardly tilting shoulders, thoracic kyphosis or totally disengaged abs, and forward-head or slumping neck posture.

What Are the Work Benefits of Using an Ergonomic Kneeling Chair?
Pain is a major distraction on any job. When cringing or adjusting in your chair to alleviate pain, you’re concentrating on the body, not the work. A kneeling chair reduces the causation of pain, and because many of the chairs are on rolling casters, users can even place one foot on the floor and sidle and stretch naturally while staying focused on work tasks. With the spinal column aligned, the blood flows correctly throughout the body, also keeping the mind sharp.

Can You Adjust an Ergonomic Kneeling Chair for Added Comfort?
Many of these chairs are height-adjustable, and some by up to 7 inches to accommodate long torsos. Some are collapsible, so users can carry or store them easily. Other chairs come with seat backs in addition to pans, as well as arm supports for added assistance when getting in and out of the chairs.