Office Ergonomics: What Is a Saddle Chair and Why Should You Use One?

Spending too much time sitting can cause more than a handful of health concerns. Back pain is the most common symptom, with higher risks of cancer and cardiovascular disease as some of the more serious consequences.

But what can you do if sitting is the only way to do your job?

For starters, you can stand up, stretch and walk for a few minutes at a time throughout your workday. You can also look into ergonomics and invest in a saddle chair.

What is a saddle chair and how will it help you? Keep reading to see how this innovative design can improve your health.

What Is a Saddle Chair?

A saddle chair is exactly what you would expect: a chair reminiscent of an equestrian saddle. You sit on it as if you were riding a horse. The seat sides slope downward to allow the legs to rest in a comfortable position and eliminate uncomfortable pressure points. It’s like the halfway point between sitting and standing, or what ergonomists call “perching”.

Saddle chairs tend to be a bit taller than normal chairs with seat heights starting at 16-21 inches. Many do not have backrests, but when they do, they are shorter and slimmer than usual, allowing you to stretch your arms back without hitting the chair.

Why would you want one as an office chair? Why consider ergonomics in the workplace? Let’s examine the benefits now.

The Benefits of a Saddle Chair

Not all chairs have ergonomic ratings because not all of them provide proper support. The fairly recent science of Ergonomics, comes from the Greek word “ergon” which means work and “nomos” which means laws. Translated, it is “laws of work” or “science of work”. What it really studies is the most efficient ways for the body to perform tasks. A saddle chair uses ergonomics to help keep your body healthy and performing efficiently and safely.

Below you’ll find out how the saddle chair does just that.

1. Facilitates Safe Movement

A saddle seat office chair is designed to allow the body to move freely. Your arms and legs have nothing in the way that impedes movement, like a bulky backrest and large armrests. This is essential if you're aiming for proper desk ergonomics too.

It expands your range of motion so you can go where you need to go or grab whatever you need without having to strain. You can bring the chair with you easily because rolling around on it activates the thigh muscles rather than the calf muscles. Some models, like the world famous Norwegian made HAG Capisco has a very sturdy caster base for mobility. Extra comfort features include molded and ribbed foot rests at the base tips that you can rub your feet on for a little massage! Some models also have a uniquely shaped optional backrest that can function as armrests but more importantly allows the arms to reach backwards, stretching the shoulder blades.

Because you are in the perching position, you bend at the hips instead of the waist, which is the safest way to bend. This also makes it easy to get up and sit down because your seat is higher than usual. This helps in preventing joint problems. Your knees, hips and elbows will thank you.

Lastly, the original shape of this chair encourages the user to sit in a variety of positions, keeping the body moving throughout the day. You can perch in the traditional front facing position, turn the chair backwards and lean into the backrest, sit sideways…or any way that feels good.

2. Re-distributes Pressure

The saddle sitting position encourages the natural alignment of the back, which results in a relaxed position. Our muscles don’t tense up and cause constriction and pinched nerves. It also puts less pressure on your legs resulting in better blood circulation, ensuring that oxygen gets where it needs to go. This minimizes health issues like reduced metabolism, fatigue, brain fog and difficulty concentrating, which are common side effects of prolonged sitting.

The reduced compression on the legs also reduces pressure on the back, alleviating back and neck pain, the most common complaints of poor workspace ergonomics.

3. Improves Posture

The saddle position is also ideal for maintaining good posture. Perching forces you to sit with an open angle of 135 degrees between the hips and the knees. In contrast, a standard chair forces you to sit with a 90-degree angle, putting more strain on the lower back and blocking blood flow.

Sitting in an active position with a natural curve in your back prevents you from slouching and strengthens the muscles in your back, buttocks, and abdominal region. Through continuous use, this trains your body to have good posture so that even when not using the chair, your muscle memory kicks in and keeps you from slouching. Good posture is not innate. It’s something we have to practice.

4. Improves Balance

No one sits as actively as an equestrian when mounted on a horse. The hip abduction keeps the pelvis in an upright orientation, helping you relax. The wide foot stance helps you maintain your balance but also keeps you in a dynamic stance, engaging muscles as you sit. As you continue using it, you’ll find that your balance will improve as well and you’ll be able to apply this balance and poise in other aspects of your life.

5. It is Highly Adjustable

As stated above, a chair can’t be ergonomic if it can’t provide proper support. As each body is different, the only way that a chair can support the variety of body sizes and types is to be highly adjustable and customizable.

A saddle chair adjusts in the ways that matter. You can adjust its height and the tilt of the seat. Have a higher desk or sit-stand table? You only need to adjust the height. Unlike in normal office chairs, the angle between your hips and knees won’t change even as you adjust the height up and down. That means you won’t lose the benefits because your hips and legs remain in the same open angle position.

Improving Your Health with Ergonomics

Learning more about ergonomics can improve both your work and daily life. After all, the health benefits or damages that you acquire in the office spill over into your everyday life. Studies repeatedly show that moving into different positions, standing, and stretching make a huge difference in the health of workers.

If you’re new to saddle chairs, give them a try. Give yourself some time to get accustomed to this new sitting dynamic before replacing your office chair completely. We also have a wide array of sit-stand desks and other ergonomic options. If you have more questions, feel free to contact us.