Are ergonomic kneeling chairs good (and safe) for you? Should you use them at all? If yes, why and what are the things you need to know before using them?
Let’s get into all these details, along with their pros and cons right below…
Despite the fact that sitting is less physically demanding as compared to standing or walking, it does put a considerable amount of stress on the lumbar area.
Also, the combined effects of a sedentary lifestyle and our 9:5 job (that requires sitting for long hours), in general, may give rise to numerous health issues, including osteoarthritis.
With this in mind, the selection of a suitable ergonomic chair (like a kneeling chair) is a crucial step in preventing health problems for those working in a bad sitting posture or position.
Here in this article:
What is a Kneeling Chair?
Kneeling chairs or stools are most beneficial when it comes to choosing the best ergonomic office chair for lower back pain as well as neck pain.
An adjustable kneeling chair basically comes with two functionalities, i.e., a seat (angled at 20 to 30 degrees) and a knee pad or cushion (placed before the seat to relax your knees or shins).
On the one hand, its knee support helps relieve back pain; on the other hand, its ability to improve posture helps relieve neck and shoulder pain.
The natural position you get while sitting on a backless kneeling chair is very comfortable for your legs, knees, and shins.
How Does it Work?
A kneeling chair typically works on the principle of distributing your body weight between your buttocks and the knees.
These chairs are most comfortable for short-term tasks (like writing or typing, sewing, or eating at a table) requiring forward reach.
I am personally using these posture chairs in my home and office for a long and have experienced significant relief in my back and neck pain.
These also help me keep my joints and muscles stimulated while working hard on my laptop for long hours.
Care that if your job requires prolonged sitting hours, you should use these chairs only in addition to another ergonomic chair, such as the Aeron chair in your office.
These are not recommended for long working hours, but they can cause certain health issues if used for a full day.
Kneeling Chair Pros and Cons
For people who still doubt whether the kneeling posture office chairs are good for them or not, we have mentioned here the benefits of using the same along with its pros and cons.
Advantages
One of the best advantages of using a kneeling chair is its ability to promote the correct and upright posture of the user.
With a properly aligned spine’s natural curve, you can actually help your spine to stay in a correct posture for hours without straining your back, neck, and shoulders.
In short, some of the basic advantages of using a kneeling chair are:
- Reduces low back and neck pain
- Position you comfortably with an open hip angle
- Make tasks (such as a forward-reaching task) easier without causing any strain
One of the best benefits offered by these best ergonomic chairs for back and neck pain is it’s highly versatile.
This means, other than as a desk chair, you can use this for a variety of other purposes:
- Gaming,
- Meditation,
- Standing desk, etc.
These brilliantly designed rocking kneeling chair not only helps in keeping your sitting posture correct but also helps in relieving your body when stressed.
Some of these best kneeling chairs also feature a rocking function which is just exceptional, especially when you are working at your desk, reading, rocking, and listening to music 🙂
Disadvantages
With a wide range of pros, these chairs also have a few cons. These are:
- Avoids using your feet frequently so that you get up and move around your work area (which is actually healthy once or twice every hour). For this reason, these are not recommended for prolonged sitting hours.
- Restrict your legs to only one position for long hours, which many times increase the pressure under your knee cap. Also, it sometimes lowers the circulation (and also can induce pain) to the legs when seated wrong.
- These can be tricky for many to get in and out. And for this reason, it would not be a good option for many jobs.
Kneeling Chair vs. Regular Chair
Kneeling ergonomic chairs for offices provides a wider range of benefits as compared to normal office chairs.
Especially when it comes to correcting posture with the right chair, nothing can beat these kneeling chairs.
According to various Aeron chair reviews, regular office chairs like the Aeron chair by Herman Miller are a good option for most. But for many, these do not provide the necessary support to the back, neck, and shoulders.
Especially if you are suffering from problems like pain due to bad posture, arthritis pain, herniated or bulging disk pain, etc., physicians suggest some better Aeron chair alternatives to get relief from pain fast.
A stand-up desk is also sometimes recommended for those who are suffering from the above health issues.
These not only encourage maintaining good body posture but also improve metabolism and burn calories.
Although kneeling chairs and standing desks are much useful, these cannot be used for a complete day without a good regular office chair or Aeron chair.
We strongly recommend trying a combination of all these three types to achieve maximum comfort and freedom from all health issues.
How to Use an Ergonomic Kneeling Chair?
While these chairs are likely to reduce your pain, they can prove harmful to your body when you do not know how to use them properly.
To sit on a kneeling posture chair effectively, you should rest your shins on the lower knee pad of the chair in a way that the maximum of your body weight passes through the seat.
If you are using a working desk, make sure that you use kneeling chairs with castors which enables you to move and position yourself in a comfortable way.
Also, ensure that you adjust the height of your chair (when you use it for the first time), so it matches perfectly with your desk.
While seated, you should achieve a straight back/spine, and your upper body should be high enough so as to rest your forearms lightly on the desk.
Remember that achieving good posture with a kneeling chair does not happen by itself.
You must learn how to straighten your spine without getting slumped.
When you know how to properly sit on and use your kneeling chair, you can drastically improve your posture within a very short period.
And in the long run of usage, you can surely experience better focus and concentration on your work as you will feel free from all the stiffness and soreness of your muscles.
How to sit on a kneeling chair?
Sitting can be defined as a position that adds stress to the structure of your spine.
In order to avoid developing back problems or compounding them, it is most important to have a proper ergonomic chair that supports your lower back, evoking good posture.
A well-designed chair is one that allows the user to always sit in a balanced position.
Having said that, buying an ergonomic chair is a good first step. But you can maximize the benefits – only if you combine it with the right posture.
Tips for Buying the Best Ergonomic Kneeling Chair
When selecting the best office chair and making a final buying decision, you should consider investing a good deal of time to check a few of these essential things.
✅ Adjustability:
First, your kneeling chair’s seat height should be easily adjustable.
As a general rule, the optimal seat height should be one-quarter of the full-body height since the leg-to-torso ratio can significantly vary.
Sophisticated seat mechanisms now provide a wide range of adjustment options, enabling each chair to be adjusted in a way that allows for flexible sitting.
✅ Your body’s needs:
In addition to the above features, you must carefully check your body and purpose.
You should be aware of the fact that the same chair will seldom be suitable for everyone.
You have to take into account your body dimensions and weight carefully, as it can fit one part of the body at the expense of straining another.
For example, tall people often find it hard to accommodate their legs on kneeling chairs.
And for this reason, kneeling chairs are not a perfect fit for a tall person.
These chairs are also not a good buy for people suffering from mobility issues or knee problems.
✅ Material and strength:
The material on the sitting part and knee rest should have sufficient padding, as this will provide optimal comfort when you are sitting on your chair for extended periods of time.
It’s important that you consider getting a chair that comes with proper cushioning on the knee pad. Or else you may end up with sore knees at the end of the day.
You also need to be aware of the frame strength, which goes with your chair. It will help you to determine the weight; your chair can withstand.
Ensure the amount of weight you want to impose on your chair. After that, you can determine the right frame strength for your needs.
✅ A solid warranty and customer support:
Since you will be using your kneeling chair regularly (most probably daily for long hours), the chair you choose should be sturdy enough and durable.
And a good way to find whether your chair is durable or not is by checking its warranty conditions.
Most of the reliable brands and manufacturers offer warranty periods ranging from 1 to 5 years. The more, the better deal for you.
Also, when buying, check what the warranty includes (whether all the chair parts or not).
While some of the brands may not provide a warranty for normal wear and tear, it’s good that you at least get good customer support.
Overall, adjustable kneeling chairs are best suited for many types of jobs & people.
These best desk chairs for neck and shoulder pain are worth looking at and can be a good addition to your office area.
Choosing a chair wrong which is not right for your body can put pressure on the wrong places, like your knees, shins, buttocks, etc. So, research carefully and choose the right chair your body needs.
We are sure that you will not regret buying a kneeling chair for your office or home, in case you are really concerned about your good health and posture.
