What is a Kneeling chair and do they really help reducing back pain?

Kneeling chairs have become increasingly popular nowadays to remove fatigue at work, while sitting for long hours. Kneeling chairs provide a good comfort and ease to sit while maintain a correct body alignment which doesn’t result in back pain or any discomfort that are caused by normal chairs. Kneeling is one of the most effective ways by which you can become more comfortable if it is well supported.

What is a kneeling chair?
According to wikipedia "A kneeling chair is a type of chair for sitting in a position with the thighs dropped to an angle of about 60 to 70 degrees from vertical (as opposed to 90 degrees when sitting in a normal chair), with some of the body's weight supported by the shins."

The concept of Kneeling Chairs was introduced to the world in the 70's as an innovative ergonomic solution to back pain caused by inappropriate posture. Bad seating was a big part of the problem of back pain sufferers. Prolonged inappropriate posture was the cause to the back pain problems and Kneeling Chair, also called Knee Chair or Posture Chair was the answer!

For centuries, seiza benches have been used by Tibetan monks during extended periods of meditation. Kneeling has also been one of the most popular positions for many prayer rituals. The kneeling position allows the angle at the hips to be increased, helping to alleviate pressure on the spine and increase blood flow throughout the body.

The Danish surgeon Dr. A.C. Mandal was the first to report the potential benefits of a kneeling position. He found that many users, including school children, would lean forward in their seat for comfort and to reduce back pain. He concluded that a forward-angled seat would allow the spine to slip into a natural curve and promote the best posture.

• The Kneeling Chair is a useful ergonomic aid that:
• Helps keep the spine in its natural "S" alignment
• Provides an upright posture by distributing weight on knees, feet and buttocks
• Helps relieve the buttocks from hours of sitting pressure
• Changes pressure points and improves circulation

Function of your spine and how kneeling chair is helpful?

The posture encouraged in a kneeling chair is different to traditional seating. By tilting the pelvis forward and lowering the knees in relation to the hips, the spine is encouraged to adopt the correct alignment, such as when standing. This means the weight and compressive forces of the upper body are distributed through the seat and the legs so the discs are not squeezed out of shape and muscle strain is not required to maintain upright.

Compression on the discs of the lumbar spine is relieved by as much as 35% when seated in this kneeling-like posture.

This positioning also allows improved blood flow to the discs, which may delay the process of disc degeneration.
The unique features of a Kneeling Chair combine to induce balanced movement, nourish your spinal discs, enhance posture, reduce the pressure on your spinal vertebrae and diaphragm, relieve tension and improve your breathing capacity and alertness, thus producing a genuine sense of poise and equilibrium.

More studies:

* Benefits for the individuals