One of the things that surprises clients when they visit Backworld is how much we talk about movement. There’s a common preconception that when you’re sat in a chair, that the chair should be still and hold you in a sedentary position. This could not be further from the truth and in general we don’t promote products that do not promote movement.
As always there are exceptions to this. Surgeons for example, need to be able to stay very still, tattoo artists, maybe watchmakers. There will be times when a fixed position is required.
The human body has 206 bones in it. These are mostly connected with flexible ligaments and soft tissues, and these need hydrating if they’re to be healthy. Our respiratory, metabolic and lymphatic systems are in constant flux and see that the body is nourished and hydrated.
None of this works so well if we sit still. We exercise because the movement makes us feel good.
For this reason, we only promote products that promote movement, as these help to keep the body functioning optimally, keep you healthy and foster better work. So how do we get more movement into our working lives? There are many ways.
Sit and stand desks. There’s a lot of research on the benefits of having a desk that enables us to adopt different postures throughout the day. And there’s a further benefit with height adjustable desks in that whatever posture you choose to work at, the desk can be set at the right height for you. Unlike a regular desk fixed to a height of 720mm which is only good for about 5% of the uk population.
Chairs with a dynamic mechanism. All good office chairs have a mechanism that when switched on, will allow the chair to move with the body while providing constant support. This is one of the things that separates good chairs from bad. Really cheap chairs will have no mechanism for movement at all. There are plenty in the economy range with self balancing mechanisms, some of which are pretty good. But really good chairs will allow you to adjust all the angles and heights to suit you, and enable you to set the tension in the mechanism so that it’s perfect for you. It’s hard to explain in words, and there’s many different types of mech, so you really do need to visit a chair specialist and experience for yourself to find the correct solution for you.
Alternative seating. Most people believe that a good chair should have a seat pad and a separate backrest. This is just not the case and some of our favourite products have no backrest at all, and allow for a lot of movement. We do not need a backrest when we are standing. We need one when we sit because the pelvis is unbalanced and cannot support the weight of our upper body in this position. However, some seating allows the body to rest with the pelvis in a neutral, balanced position, therefore a backrest is not required and the body is free to move.
Examples of these include the kneeling stool. First created in 1979 the buttocks sit on a surface that is tilted forward, keeping the pelvis in that neutral position. The shins are supported on separate pads and the best chairs have curved runners at the bottom so the chair rocks, following the natural movements of the body.
Saddle stools. These are becoming increasingly popular as people discover the benefits of active sitting. Saddle stools support the body in a very natural position and we think are amongst the best products available for good posture. There are many types, and the best one for you will depend on the work you are doing and your personal shape and preference. We’ve recently had a new product into stock, the Score Polo. This uses a regular Score saddle seat on a stem that moves at the base, which makes it move more than a regular saddle, and we love it.
What we’re wanting to see is more joined up thinking on movement. Rather than a repetitive loop of sitting, hurting, exercising; we’d like to see a lot more movement in our working day.