Salli MultiAdjuster chair is adjustable for all users.

Do you remember when your mother used to tell you “sit up straight” or “don’t slouch”? It seems she was an ergonomic consultant providing you with valuable advice.

We seem to spend a lot of time at work sitting. People sit down whenever they have a chance. This is a natural physiological action that is deep in our consciousness and is related to the need to rest.

However, the human body is not “designed” for sitting, but rather for movement. With more of our working life spent in various functions like using computers, almost all of us must sit at least for a little time while we work.

There is a science to the study of sitting – ergonomics. According to the Ergonomics Society, it can be defined as an “approach which puts human needs and capabilities at the focus of designing technological systems.”

The objective of good sitting is to minimise injuries in the workplace. This is not only a good management practice, but also makes financial sense, because it reduces workplace injuries, which can result from poor posture while sitting.

Back related problems are the most common

Workplace injuries as a result of back problems are significant, but the proportion of these that are related to improper sitting has not been carefully studied. It is fair to say that there is a connection between the two that would need more investigation.

In order to protect your back “changing your position while sitting is the best,” says Ulla Könni, a workplace physical therapist from the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health. “This means that you shouldn’t sit in the same position for a long period of time,” she adds.

You are the best judge of your sitting posture. The basic rule of thumb is – if it feels good, do it. However, certain points are important to keep in mind.

You should sit with your shoulders relaxed and back straight, in a position similar to standing. “In many cases workers have an excellent chair, but haven’t read the operating instructions. As a result, they don’t know about the wide variety of positions that a chair can be adjusted for which help posture,” Könni emphasises.

Different chairs for different body types

There is a wide variety of choices in modern chairs which accomplish a natural, healthy sitting posture. One of these is the Finnish-made Salli saddle chair. The saddle chair looks just what it sounds like, a horse saddle.

According to Salli, the saddle chair is designed for anatomically correct sitting. This means that your back and shoulders are in a relaxed and correct position, similar to standing.

The Salli saddle chair has two leaves that are divided in the middle, and slope downwards. It has no back, and is higher than standard chairs.

One sits on these much as you would sit in the saddle of a thin horse, with your legs slightly bent, but extended and feet on the ground. Getting up, or rather “off” the chair, is rather like dismounting a horse. The design makes it easy and sensible to do this, requiring less effort than getting off a chair.

There is no one single ideal chair type that is available. Different chairs should be provided for different body types. “Picking the right sized chair is an individual matter,” says Könni.

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