You’ve probably heard of people saying that sitting is the new smoking. Sitting has been linked with diabetes, obesity, back problems, and many other health issues. As there are so many people working office jobs that require sitting for hours on end, intensive ergonomic research has been done in the search for ways of minimizing the risks of sitting every day. The results all point in the same direction: saddle chairs. You know those stools your dentist uses? Yes, exactly those.
So, why saddle chairs? This is the question we’ll be focusing on throughout this article.
No more slouching
The traditional office chair is probably the most uncomfortable piece of furniture that exists. Having to sit on it for hours on a daily basis can be devastating to your posture. This is because they are not designed for comfort, and they are usually not adjustable to your body.
Unlike the traditional office chair, a saddle stool helps improve your posture as it’s designed to make slouching close to impossible. It rotates the pelvis forward and maintains your lower back’s natural position. This will relieve your back, shoulder, and neck pain in no time.
It could take some time for your muscles to get used to this position, so it could feel a bit uncomfortable at the beginning. Still, it will pay off in the long run after your posture is fixed and your muscles strengthened.
Burning calories
Balancing on a saddle chair could be a little of a challenge when you only start using it. Saddle chairs don’t have an armrest so getting up and sitting down requires a bit more effort than a regular chair does. This actually helps in burning some calories down!
Other than that, since the design of a saddle stool helps your posture and activates your muscles more, it’s good for fighting sitting-induced weight issues. It’s quite an improvement from the traditional office chair that lets your muscles be lazy which in turn makes your posture suffer.
Blood circulation
The position of your body while sitting in a saddle chair makes it so your arteries and veins are positioned in the most beneficial way. This helps the circulation of the blood in your body and reduces swelling of your feet.
The circulation of blood is a very important bodily function. It helps your organs function properly, which improves all aspects of your overall health. Having good circulation reduces fatigue, improves your concentration, and prevents memory loss.
Other than that, it helps prevent blood clots and many other health issues connected with poor blood circulation.
Perseverance of the lumbar curve
Scientific studies show that sitting in a saddle chair could help in preserving your lumbar curve. This curve is what helps your spine withstand and distribute the weight throughout your body. The design of a saddle stool makes it so your lumbar curve is at the same angle as it would be when you are standing upright.
This is very beneficial to your health as it prevents you from damaging your spine. Sitting in this position also strengthens your muscles, so your lower and upper back will be at ease. When you bend forward, the saddle seat will keep your spinal curves at their optimal states which will in turn eradicate back pain and soreness.
Improved mobility and balance
Reaching for things is made easy when you are saddle sitting. You have more mobility in your arms, and you can use your legs for moving around. It may be hard to feel stable on a saddle seat right when you first start using it, but when you finally get used to it you will notice some great improvements when it comes to your overall balance. Many people with neurological issues that impact their balancing capabilities report great improvements when they start saddle-sitting.
You will become much more mobile, so these chairs are perfect if your job requires a lot of reaching and moving around. This is why this chair model is the most used type of chair when it comes to doctors and dentists.
How to choose the right one for you?
There are so many different models and types of saddle seats available on the market. This could be a bit overwhelming when you’re trying to pick one for yourself.
The best way to go about it is to simply do a bit of research. Pay attention to features like adjustability, wheels, general shape, etc.
If you are unsure even after researching everything, you should check out places like Ergonomics Health Association where you’ll find useful advice from the industry professionals.
Is there a correct way of sitting on a saddle chair?
In general, the saddle chair design itself should automatically keep you sitting in the best position possible. Still, the optimal thing would be to sit with your legs apart, feet flat on the floor, which will make your back parallel to the ground. This is why it’s important to adjust the chair so it best fits your body and your size.
It’s also a good idea to still take some breaks from sitting and go walking around if you can. Standing up or walking, at least in small amounts, is always a good practice no matter what kind of chair you’re sitting on. Use your lunch break to stretch and move around. Even if the saddle chair promotes active sitting, it can’t completely replace the benefits of taking small sitting breaks when you’re working for 8 hours.
The takeaway
The best alternative to uncomfortable traditional office chairs is switching to the active saddle chair model. It helps in improving your posture, blood circulation, muscle strength, and it helps in preventing some major health issues in the long run.
There are many different models and you should pick the one that fits the best to your body. Learning how to adjust it to your needs is crucial, and there are many resources for that online.
All in all, since most of us spend the majority of our day sitting in a chair, investing in high-quality one is more than necessary.
