Barbara Bergin, MD
Barbara Bergin, MD, orthopedic surgeon, Texas Orthopedics, Sports & Rehabilitation Associates, Austin. DrBarbaraBergin.com
Bottom Line: These chairs may look weird, but they can help you feel great
By now, we all know how detrimental sitting is for our health. And of course, we all tend to slouch when sitting at the usual desk chair, and that can lead to back pain.
Standing desks can negate some risk, but standing all day can hurt, too.
The following three unusual chairs offer a sensible middle ground between standing and traditional sitting. All count as active sitting, meaning that they require you to engage far more muscles than with a normal chair—so you can strengthen your core, burn extra calories and maybe even alleviate or avoid back pain.
Each one will take some time to get used to, so plan to feel a bit awkward at first. A good way to adapt to any of these chairs is to sit in one for just an hour at a time for a few days and then gradually increase from there. Here are the best kinds of “active” chairs…
Note: Recumbent/kneeling chairs can be hard on the knees, so anyone with arthritis, patellar tendinitis, kneecap pain or a meniscus tear should avoid them. People with leg swelling should steer clear as well, as these chairs may restrict your circulation. For most people, this isn’t a problem, but getting up every hour or so for a short break will make using this type of chair for extended periods more comfortable.