You've probably seen those funny looking ergonomic chairs before. They are all about giving your body the right sitting posture and proper lumbar support. This helps in keeping your body well supported so you can sit for long hours without feeling tired or getting a backache. Ergonomics is considered a type of science and all the ergonomic chair designs derived from studies and research. But now there is a new chair that is edging it way into the market and it is the ergonomic kneeling chair.
When the concept was first introduced, it didn't catch on as fast as the normal ergonomic chair. Some earlier research regarding this type of chair has shown that a kneeling chair is not ergonomic and it is no better than a normal office chair. But a later study that was done in 2008 has shown that a kneeling chair does help with long hours of sitting and it does give more comfort to the sitter.
Chairs For Desks
The basic concept of this chair is that you sit in a way that you angle your knee downwards and keep your feet pointing backwards. So it looks like you are kneeling down when you are praying. The seat of the chair angles downwards and pushes your body forward like you are slipping. Then there is a knee rest that will help support the knee and prevent it from slipping. Most of your body weight will still be supported by your buttocks with some of the weight transferred to the knees. Some of the kneeling chairs do include a back support but most don't.
So this chair's design is actually quite minimalistic. There is no arm support or back support and there is a limit to it's adjustability. Some models have wheels and some allow you to adjust the height of the seat. So compared to an ergonomic sitting chair, the ergonomic kneeling chair is much smaller. In fact, the total space taken when you sit on the kneeling chair is less than sitting on a normal chair.
What do all this mean?
The ergonomic kneeling chair is not meant for a normal relaxing day at home or when you want to unwind in front of the TV. The kneeling chair is meant for office use as it keeps the sitter's back forward and it minimizes space usage. The kneeling position gives the sitter enough comfort and support to let him work for long hours without feeling tired. He can also stretch himself easily as there is a lot of space to move about.
So the next time you want an ergonomic chair that gives you comfort but still lets you focus on the task on hand, the ergonomic kneeling may be a viable option.