Which saddle chair should I get for office use?
The use of saddle seat chairs in the office has become way more prevalent recently.
With the explosion in popularity of sit-stand desks people are becoming even more conscious of their health while working. It is also becoming clear to many that much of their back pain or musculoskeletal issues are being caused by the way they sit, and the chair they use. Standing is seen as a way to combat this.
What people are also finding is that while standing at a desk can help somewhat, it is also difficult to stand with good posture all day - in fact it is very easy to stand very badly. It is also difficult to stand for long periods of time.
In many cases sit-stand desks are not used to their full potential after the initial burst of enthusiasm (like joining the gym!) or never raised in to a standing position at all! Generally, they are very under-utilised and therefore the potentially huge benefits are lost.
Saddle chairs are ideal for office use as they provide a mechanical intervention to provide perfect posture without having to think about it. Once you are set up correctly you just do it - you maintain a neutral standing posture while sitting and do your back a huge favour.
Which saddle chair should I choose for an office?
As with most things in life, you get what you pay for.
Salli saddle chairs come in a range of prices, as you go up in price you get more features and more comfort. As most of our chairs have a Lifetime Structural Guarantee so we suggest getting the best you can afford as it is a long term investment in both the product, and your health.
As sitting for long periods is common in an office setting we recommend the Salli Sway saddle seat as a minimum. It has a padded and upholstered seat, but also has a killer feature - active sitting. On the Sway model the seat can move or "wobble" slightly in all directions. This keeps you back activated and the blood flowing, helping to prevent that stiffness and soreness which can occur with regular office chairs.
If you want to be able to adjust the width then consider the Salli Pro. If you don't sit for long periods of time then the Salli Light is also a great option.
Also, don't forget the split design - this feature has benefits that you may not even realise for many, many years to come. Sitting pressure can be nasty, Salli chairs are designed to reduce these issues.
Do I need a backrest?
This is a question which comes up often and the answer is - no you don't.
When sitting on a correctly set up saddle chair you sit in a balance position, there is no force pushing you backwards, so you don't need anything to hold you up. Do you need a backrest while standing? No - same reason applies.
Many cheap saddle chairs are sold with a backrest for 3 reasons:
- they think you are more likely to buy it because you think it has an added benefit and you are conditioned to "need" one.
- they usually don't go high enough and they end up being like a regular chair, but worse
- they actually have no focus on ergonomics, and are designed to use with a regular height desk (which more often than not doesn't work).
What is the best setup with a saddle chair for my office?
When setting up your workspace or office for use with a saddle chair it is important to take a few things into consideration. These are our minimum recommendations:
- quality saddle chair specified for your height
- sit-stand desk, desk converter, or even block under a regular desk to raise the worksurface height
- monitor set with top at eye level, or if using a laptop - get a laptop stand and external keyboard and mouse
These change may take some time to get used to - but once you do - your body will thank you.
As always, if you have any questions or need any help getting your setup right - please contact us!
