The Pros and Cons of the Ergonomic Chair Kneel?

Answer 1

Kneeling chairs are specially designed chairs that allow the lower back to rest in a better postural position. These chairs are ideal for people who must sit for extended time periods. Their ergonomic design reduces strain and injury to certain back muscles.

Simulating a Standing Position

Regular chairs do little to prevent back strain and injury because they force the back to rest at awkward, and sometimes uncomfortable, angles. However, ergonomic chair kneels simulate a standing position by angling the seat forward at 30 degrees. By setting the seat at this angle, the spine is put in a "neutral" position, which is considered proper standing posture.

Weight Distribution

Ergonomic kneeling chairs are equipped with a front bar that stops the user's knees from moving forward, reducing the weight placed on the hips and lower back. The user's shins rest under the hips and the lower legs sit under the body. Instead of putting weight on the individual's knees, kneeling chairs distribute weight between the shins and hips.

Advantages and Disadvantages

The ergonomic chair kneel is ideal for people who need to relieve stress from the lower back. However, people with inappropriate upper body posture usually do not benefit from the chair's design because the chair lacks a backrest, doing nothing to correct "hunching." Since some weight is put on the shins, the chair kneel is not recommended for people who suffer from frequent shin splints.

Some people feel constrained because the ergonomic kneel chair does not allow the user to shift positions. In addition, people will have to utilize a little bit of coordination in order to sit down and get up from the chair by redistributing their body weight. Many new ergonomic chair kneel users report incidents of tripping while mastering this task.

Regardless of the disadvantages, people who are plagued by lower Back pain will benefit from the chair kneel. Some users split their sitting time between a kneeling chair and a standard office chair. Partial use of the ergonomic chair kneel can improve the user's posture.