Active Sitting: Saddle up!
Monday, November 14, 2011 at 12:20PM For more in our active sitting series, click here for our saddle seat introduction, and here for our active sitting introduction.
It’s probably obvious we’re big fans of the HAG Capisco, but many other saddle seats such as Via’s Swopper, 
Swopper, by Viathe Varier Move stool, and the Bambach saddle seat offer nearly identical benefits as the Capisco.
The Swopper is one the more fun saddle seats on the market. Its spring mechanism encourages not just movement but actual bouncing. Many users find the Swopper similar to the experience of working on an exercise ball, but without the hassle of pumping it up once a week plus the added flexibility to vary your seat height as needed.
The Varier Move stool is one of the most popular saddle chair options for people with a taller work surface. The Move stool offers the perfect amount of support for workers who want to take a break from standing and perch on their seat for a spell. The concave bottom allows you to lean forward on the saddle, as opposed to just sitting on top of the seat, further opening the hip angle. The Move stool is also designed to encourage repositioning your weight and rebalancing yourself throughout the day. Again, similar to an exercise ball, but actually designed for sitting.
Move stool, by Varier
Bambach saddle seatLast, and certainly not least, is the Bambach saddle seat. Specifically designed to minimize many common complaints associated with extended sitting (neck, shoulder, and back pain), this Australian-designed saddle seat is quickly becoming one of our most popular saddle seats. For horse or motorcycle riders the saddle on this chair will feel very familiar. For those of you who are used to slouching your way through your work day, the Bambach saddle seat hardly gives you a chance.
This all sounds great, but my lower back isn’t in good shape and I don’t think I could make it without lumbar support.
Point well-taken.
The long and short of it is: when your spine is properly aligned, lumbar support (in the form of a backrest) isn’t necessary. That’s not to say sitting back and relaxing is something to be avoided at all costs, but it’s important to recognize why back support is present in traditional task chairs, and absent in most saddle seats and kneeling chairs. When we move away from the 90° sitting angle, to something closer to 130°, the lower part of the spine that creates the “S” shape is able to fully support the upper body. When we are sitting with a 90° angle the pelvis is positioned in a way that straightens out (rather than maintains the curve) this crucial part of our spine.
This advice works for many people, but not for everyone. If you have any type of medical issue involving the back, hips, or any other area affected while you are seated, we would strongly advise consulting with a medical professional on your specific situation.
active sitting in Products, chairs, ergonomics , saddle seat
Reader Comments (1)
NIce article. I bought a Bambach saddle chair last year. For me, the more upright sitting position from the chair has made a significant difference in my posture and overall health. One of the things I've noticed is a better overall mental acuity. I no longer have the after lunch "brain lulls" where my energy level and brainpower would drop off the charts. Maybe this is because of the improvement in circulation that results from the open hip angle. Maybe it's just because my body is more active while sitting. Whatever the reason - I'll take it. And while I can't be certain of this correlation, I'm also sleeping better at night since I started using the Bambach.