Comments | hsapiens: I need a new office chair & advice

hsapiens

I need a new office chair & advice

Jul 13, 2011 17:18

Has anyone here used a kneel chair? What about a balance ball chair? If so, what in particular did you like or not like about it?

( Considering these three candidates... )

real life

Comments 19

eileen_donovan July 13 2011, 22:48:39 UTC

Did you know that the prevailing wisdom is that people should stand? Lots of folks have standing desks or a desk attached to a treadmill. The idea is that sitting is bad for you in many ways. I'm not advocating this, just mentioning it. I find the idea a little horrifying, but I have all kinds of problems that would make it impossible for me! :)

hsapiens July 14 2011, 12:16:34 UTC

I've heard a report about it -- and was properly horrified. As a young 20-something, I worked on my feet all day and then worked another job on the weekend where I was on my feet, hiking around all day. Every morning I woke with my feet feeling like they'd been beaten with a baseball bat. I'm no longer a 20-something and have no desire to go back to that.

eileen_donovan July 14 2011, 21:05:38 UTC

I couldn't agree more! I do a lot of sitting and I get up, often, and walk around, but to stand all day? No thank you!

My daughter, btw, uses the kneeling chair and she loves it. She has a bad back and says it really helps.

immlass July 13 2011, 23:00:13 UTC

My ex had a (non-rolling) thing like the one on the right. If you have knee problems, DO NOT GET IT. It made my knees hurt a lot.

hsapiens July 14 2011, 12:19:41 UTC

I don't have knee problems but I was concerned that hours of pressure would give me knee problems. Sarah brought up some excellent points, as well, that she brought up on G+ against the kneeling chair that have put it off my list.

spud66cat July 14 2011, 01:41:38 UTC

IDK, neither the 1st or 2nd chairs look like they would be comfortable to sit on for long periods of time. Plus, that ball one looks like you'd be sitting pretty low to the ground, so it may or may not be practical depending your how high your desk is and how tall you are.

Personally, I'd want something with more back support. Otherwise, I'd be afraid I might lean back and fall off, lol. Is there any store nearby that sells these where you can possibly sit on one and see how you like it before purchasing?

hsapiens July 14 2011, 12:27:08 UTC

I was thinking I could perhaps do without the back support. I have a traditional comfy chair now but most often I sit on the front of the seat without any back support so that my feet are flat on the floor (I'm short). But I do currently have the option of sitting butterfly style and using the back support if I want.

FWIW, the ball chair is much larger than it looks in the picture. I agree it looks dinky but it's sized for use at desks. What it isn't is fully adjustable the way a traditional "task chair" is.

I've sat on all of the chairs but an in-store butt-test isn't the same as trying them for hours at a time, you know?

nalathilion July 14 2011, 01:43:26 UTC

I've heard the balance ball chair really tones your core/legs, but that sounds like it would contribute to fatigue over time. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want to sit on it if I was all crampy. Have you tried out all three types? Even just the regular task chair can feel very different.

hsapiens July 14 2011, 12:32:56 UTC

I'm extremely fortunate in not suffering much from cramps (I know how lucky I am and am SO thankful!). I have indeed tried out the various chairs but a couple of minutes just can't compare to hours spent in them.

I just wish I could keep my current chair. It's comfy (I even had spontaneous offers back before I'd used it to death to take the chair if I ever wanted to replace it) and has been a good purchase. Wish I'd thought to buy a couple of these chairs back when I found them.

superbadgirl July 14 2011, 01:50:25 UTC

I have been using a balance ball (just the ball, no chair) for several months now. I used to have lower back pain and found myself slumping to the left to lean, etc. Now, my posture is much better and I also find myself just naturally getting up more throughout the day (you can't just roll your chair over to the printer...), which is actually better for you than sitting for hours at a time.

One drawback - sticky legs if you're wearing a skirt. I should rig myself up some kind of slipcover (surprised to not see those on the market, actually).

hsapiens July 14 2011, 12:34:57 UTC

My problem will be with shorts as this is a home office but Houston is warm and sticky for much of the year. I hadn't considered the ramifications of sitting on a plastic ball and that's a real consideration. *sigh* Looks like I'm going to be getting a task chair.