Hi Lifehacker, What ever happened to kneeling stools? It seems like they were all the rage a few years ago and now you never hear about them. Also, are they a viable alternative to a standing desk? Thanks, Head Over Kneels Kneeling stools and chairs are still kicking around — a cursory Google Shopping search reveals an abundance of available models. Like any office fad, you tend to hear less about these things once the hype has died down, but that doesn't necessary mean they've fallen out of favour. There are several health benefits that a kneeling stool provides over a regular office chair. These mainly centre around the concept of active sitting versus passive sitting. In a normal chair, your body tends to be either slumped and relaxed or tense and straight; neither of which are ideal postures. This can eventually lead to spinal problems and various other ailments linked to a sedentary lifestyle. By contrast, a kneeling stool promotes active sitting through continual, controlled movement.
Because the upper body is self-supported it has to balance itself which encourages the sitter to use their abdominal and back muscles. It's like a mini core workout. Other cited benefits include better blood circulation via increased limb motion, improved concentration (i.e. — no slumping/vegeing out) and almost double the amount of calories burned per hour. A lot of this could just be marketing pap to sell kneeling chairs, but independent research does support a few of these claims. For example, a scientific study published in the National Center for Biotechnology Information found that lumbar curvature on an ergonomically designed kneeling chair is definitely superior to a standard computer chair: This study 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 with an overall mean difference of 7.633 degrees . As to whether kneeling stools are a viable alternative to the standing desk would largely depend on the individual.
On paper, a standing desk probably aids movement and posture more, but only if you use them correctly. There's a temptation to lean on standing desks with your elbows supporting your weight (it's something I've been personally guilty of at the tail-end of each day.) Plus, if you have a convertible model you might end up using it like a normal desk more than originally intended. A kneeling stool, meanwhile, requires upper body balance at all times. There's no way to "cheat" when you're feeling tired. If you have questionable will power, we think a kneeling stool is going to be more beneficial in the long run. Got your own question you want to put to Lifehacker? Send it using our contact form.Office chairs and back pain: Chiropractic and physiotherapy can help dramatically with the relief of back pain. But if you If your job entails sitting for long periods of time, chances are high that you will continue to develop pain. It is like building a sand castle against the ocean, the pain will come back again and again.
The main reason behind this is that sitting, in an office chair or sitting in general, is a static posture that increases stress in the back, neck and shoulders. When sitting in an office chair for a long period, the natural tendency for most people is to slouch over or slouch down in the chair, and this posture can overstretch the muscles, disks and surrounding structures in the spine. Over time, incorrect sitting posture can damage spinal structures leading to degeneration, and worsening chronic pain. Ergonomic office chairs are a good investment. When used properly, these chairs maximize back support and encourage good posture good posture while sitting. However, purchasing an ergonomic office chair is not enough – it is also necessary to adjust the office chair to the proportions of the individual’s body to improve comfort and reduce aggravation to the spine. The first step in setting up an office chair is to establish the desired height of the individual’s desk or workstation.
This decision is determined primarily by the type of work to be done and by the height of the person using the office chair. The height of the desk or workstation itself can vary greatly and will require different positioning of the office chair, or a different type of ergonomic chair altogether. Once the workstation has been situated, then the user can adjust the office chair according to his or her physical proportions. Here are the most important guidelines – distilled into a quick checklist – to help make sure that the office chair and work area are as comfortable as possible and will cause the least amount of stress to the spine: these roués can be applied to any chair, though ergonomic chairs are the best. 1. Elbow height sit comfortably as close as possible to your desk so that your upper arms are parallel to your spine. Rest your hands on your work surface (e.g. desktop, computer keyboard). If your elbows are not at a 90-degree angle, adjust your office chair height either up or down.
2. Thigh angle see that you can easily slide your fingers under your thigh at the leading edge of the office chair. If it is too tight, you need to prop your feet up with an adjustable footrest. If you are unusually tall and there is more than a finger width between your thigh and the chair, you need to raise the desk or work surface so that you can raise the height of your office chair. 3. Calf angle
With your bottom pushed against the chair back, try to pass your clenched fist between the back of your calf and the front of your office chair. If you can’t do that easily, then the office chair is too deep. You will need to adjust the backrest forward, insert a low back support (such as a lumbar support cushion, a pillow or rolled up towel), or get a new office chair. 4. Low back support
Your bottom should be pressed against the back of your chair, and there should be a cushion that causes your lower back to arch slightly so that you don’t slump forward or slouch down in the chair as you tire over time.
This low back support in the office chair is essential to minimize the load (strain) on your back. Never slump or slouch forward in the office chair, as that places extra stress on the structures in the low back, and in particular, on the lumbar discs. 5. Eye level
close your eyes and look strait ahead. Slowly open your eyes. Your gaze should be aimed at the center of your computer screen. If your computer screen is higher or lower than your gaze, you need to either raise or lower it to reduce strain on the neck and upper back. 6. Armrest Adjust the armrest of the office chair so that it just slightly lifts your arms at the shoulders. Use of an armrest on your office chair is important to take some of the strain off your upper spine and shoulders, and it should make you less likely to slouch forward in your chair. Even with the best chair prolonged sitting is not good for the back. To avoid keeping the back in one position for a long period, remember to stand, stretch and walk for at least a minute or two every half hour.