4 Kinds of Healthy Office Chairs

Sitting can be harmful to your health. At least that is what all the headlines have said over the past few years. Research demonstrates that “sitting is the new smoking,” and has demonstrated that prolonged sitting can lead to diabetes, depression, muscle degeneration, high blood pressure, poor circulation, and disk compression.

Sitting improperly or on uncomfortable chairs can also cause back, neck, leg, and arm pain. If you want to improve your overall health and avoid pain, in general, take a look at these tips on how to buy a healthy desk chair.

Ergonomic Office Chair

A black ergonomic mesh office chair on top of a rug with an office desk in the background with abbstract wall art.

Ergonomic office chairs may look like a normal office chair, but they are far from ordinary. Ergonomic office chairs are customizable in various manners that allow a user to adjust the chair for their body proportions. They are designed to support your lower back and promote good posture. Other pros of ergonomic office chairs include head, torso, and arm support; lumbar support; less spinal shrinkage; and increased comfort.

Additionally, ergonomic chairs are designed to support your lower back and promote good posture, such as sitting straight and relaxing your shoulder. These chairs feature a sleek and functional design often with a breathable black mesh seat and chair back and upturned thermoplastic arms that are moveable.

Saddle Stool

Two brown saddle stools with wooden legs and leather seats in a kitchen with white cabinetry and marble countertops.

The saddle stool is a great option for a healthy desk chair. This type of chair is backless, so it increases muscle activation. The saddle configuration rotates your pelvis forwards, in turn maintaining your spine’s natural lumbar curve.

Saddle stools with wheels are the only healthy desk chairs that prevent slouching. Saddle stools also help burn more calories than standard office chairs and the lumbar curve is similar to standing upright.

Balance Ball Chair

A man sitting on a red balance ball chair at a work desk.

Balance ball chairs rest in the middle of the frame allowing users to improve their posture on a comfortable seat. The chair’s height can be decreased and increased by changing the level of ball inflation and the metal support bar, which keeps the balance ball in place.

Most balance ball chairs have a backrest for extra support, even though they may look a little odd in your home décor. Pros of a balance ball chair include exercising your core muscles, improving your posture, and supporting your spine’s overall health.

Kneeling Posture Chair

A metal kneeling posture chair with black cushions and handles.

Kneeling posture chairs are stool-like chairs that offer support for a forward-facing knee position while sitting at your office desk. This type of office chair is said to align the spine in an ideal, natural S-shape due to its downward-sloping seat and dropped-knee position.

Some pros of the kneeling posture chair include that they help, distribute your weight onto your knees and off your lumbar curve, alleviate back pain, allow you to breathe more deeply using your diaphragm, engage your leg muscles, and improve blood circulation.

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