Kneeling Chairs

Do you ever find yourself hunching forward over your desk, constantly straining your back to see the top of a page or to reach forward and finish a drawing? The challenge with deep desks in particular is that our posture can be negatively impacted by the need to reach forward and constantly stretch our back out – often causing imbalance and creating aches and pains in the lower back and in our arms.

Short of standing up to lean forward and provide a full aerial view over the desk and your work, the best way to provide your body with the support it needs as you learn forward, is with a kneeling chair – designed to provide both seating and a handy place for your knees to rest to provide optimum balance.

How does a kneeling chair work?

A kneeling chair essentially resembles a very basic office chair, with the padded backrest and seat connected with an L-shaped structure, as well as an additional padded rest facing upwards towards the seat – situated between the footrest and the seat itself. This is for your knees, with the intention that as you sit on the chair, you then draw your knees up and rest them on the extra pad in order to give your body adequate leverage to lean forward.

With a basic structure which is primarily functional instead of attractive, we often find that buyers only pull out their kneeling chair when actually need to use it – though we are seeing an increase in more innovative designs as retailers adjust to the changing and more flexible working market, now including rocking chair style bases, more stylish wooden frames and different colour padding.

Is a kneeling chair good for your body?

Though a kneeling chair provides comfort and support when you need to lean forward and work with items a little further back on your desk, we often find that retailers recommend you only use the kneeling chair for short periods of time – ideally when engaging in a particular task, before stretching the legs out and returning to a normal sitting position. This is because, though kneeling chairs extend the back and allow for good upper body position, they put added pressure on your knees and can cause issues if used extensively for long periods of time.

If possible, combine a kneeling chair with a comfortable office chair and a period of standing as well as you move through your working day.

Helping a kneeling chair look good

As discussed, the kneeling chair is a functional piece of furniture which is not designed for aesthetic value. Having said that, the structure is unique and interesting, and many homeowners find that it actually creates quite an interesting focal point at the side of the office – ideal for use as required, or to sit on if someone has a sore back and wants to be able to lean forward.

Aside from location, consider the actual design and appearance of your kneeling chair, with an emphasis on the material or fabric covering the seating and kneeling pads. It is particularly important that the kneeling pad is made from a fabric that provides some grip, and you do not want to run the risk of your clothing slipping on the kneeling pad and causing you to become imbalanced and fall. Removing your feet from the floor can be quite disconcerting and buyers should be aware that it may take time for the kneeling chair to become comfortable.

The best kneeling chairs can be purchased from specialist office furniture stores and chair retailers.