[cofe]

Anyone have experience of decent posture chairs for office jockeys? I've used one of those weird kneeling stools for a couple of months, but it's not great on the knees, and my back has just about had enough of normal office chairs.

Ta. x

[SamT]

See my reply here...http://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php/topic,26589.msg507249.html#msg507249

I swap between swiss ball and normal office chair (albeit one that's well adjusted).

I do find that when on the swiss ball, I tend to tuck my heels under the front edge of the ball, which then puts a bit of strain on my knees. Hence I swap to the chair for a bit every few weeks.

[filz]

The kneeling stool worked well for me. It took a while to adjust the height so my weight was well balanced and I wasnt' weighing too much on the knees. Maybe that's your problem.

I've also tried the swiss ball, as suggested by my osteopath, for a while. It worked too, but I couldn't stay on it for very long. After an hour or so I had to take a break, which is probably another good thing for the back 

I'd like to try a standing desk, but due to lack of space it's unlikely I'll manage to do it soon.

In the end what's probably working best for me is doing a lot of antagonist training to keep the back healty.

[Joepicalli]

Get an Aeron Chair by Herman Miller they are expensive but if you spend a lot of time at a desk worth it. I credit having one as one of the main reasons I don't get back spasms any more.

[Monolith]

I now use a Varidesk standing desk in work and it's amazing. It sits on top of my regular desk and can be pushed up/pulled down as desired. My back problems have hugely lessened since using it. I try to mix my day up between standing and sitting with a fair few up and down laps of the fire stairs to keep my back loose. Get on the scene beast!

This is my model: http://uk.varidesk.com/varidesk-pro-plus-30?gclid=CK6H5fjbhswCFVEo0wod85ADcQ

[benpritch]

Having to spend a bit of time at a desk has led to a fair few probs for me posture wise but I got on of those massive inflatable balls from decathlon and can now sit at my desk for hours without any issues. I also raised my monitors.

[tomtom]

After my bad back episodes last year, the MOther in law asked if i'd like her old office chair. It's about 10 years old, but turns out its a HAG - and costs about a grand brand new (well the equivalent model does). It has a headrest and about 7 adjustment levers - but its brilliant. When my back was wonky it was one of the only pain free places I could sit at length in the house...

If I saw a second hand one for £2-300 I'd sherioushly consider it..

PS I have one of those kneeling ones too - I think they're a load of cobblers... just gave me bad knees !

[dave]

Problem with all chairs it it's bad to be sat for any length of time in ANY position, even the optimum. We've just not evolved to sit down all day. You can relieve a lot of back issues just by trying to move about and adjust how you sit umpteen times through the day (even including a bit of "wrong' sitting, i.e. crossed legged or slouching), get up and going for a wander etc. Easier said than done with most jobs granted.

[tomtom]

Anyway - shouldn't your employer do a work place assessment and then order you a swanky new ergotasticmeister chair?

[cofe]

Thanks for the feedback. I quite like the look of Monolith's desk booster thing. Alternating between standing, sitting on a ball, and sitting on a chair might work. Also tried one of these a bit back.

[dave]

I had one of these on loan at home from that shop in Bakewell a couple of years back. Makes a lot of sense in theory but I didn't get on with it, actually seemed to make my back worse, although maybe my desk was just totally the wrong height for it or something:

[tomtom]

Thanks for the feedback. I quite like the look of Monolith's desk booster thing. Alternating between standing, sitting on a ball, and sitting on a chair might work. Also tried one of these a bit back.

Those are OK - and the guys I work with in Oz have loads of them - they work well (but I think they look horrible though!). But bear in mind they are £300 you can get a standing desk (winds up and down between the regular and standing height) from Ikea from £175... or this electric bad boy for £325...

https://www.furna.co.uk/products/furna-e1-electric-standing-desk-sit-stand-desk?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=googlepla&variant=16360642951

Or just go the whole hog and persuade the boss to get a room full of bean bags and a ball pool to work in :D

(another plug for HAG chairs...)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l2632.R2.TR11.TRC1.A0.H0.XHAG+c.TRS0&_nkw=hag+chair&_sacat=25298

[tomtom]

Ah - sorry forgot to say - having something with a headrest was really useful for my back/posture - as it meant when my head was against it my back was i nthe right postion - a kind of check if you like. Without one (like I am in my work office) my head (and thus back) starts creeping forward.....

[dave]

Alternating between standing, sitting on a ball, and sitting on a chair might work.

The odd hour on the tractor will do you the world of good.

[duncan]

Problem with all chairs it it's bad to be sat for any length of time in ANY position, even the optimum. We've just not evolved to sit down all day. You can relieve a lot of back issues just by trying to move about and adjust how you sit umpteen times through the day (even including a bit of "wrong' sitting, i.e. crossed legged or slouching), get up and going for a wander etc. Easier said than done with most jobs granted.

This in it's entirety.

There is plenty of evidence that ergonomic interventions have a small effect at most. The data may conceal individual success stories so I wouldn't say don't bother but insist on trying any new chair for a reasonable time before spending much money.

FWIW I use a stool with no back support as it encourages me to fidget constantly. No major back issues in the last 15 years.

[tomtom]