There has been a revolution in Europe and this one promises to make us all healthier. For the last few years there has been a lot of focus on the dangers of sitting for too long. This has led to the development of ergonomic office chairs, sit-stand workstations and height-adjustable desks. We wrote about Choosing the Best Office Chair but now, the Scandinavian-designed Back App chair, in stock at Radius Office Furniture, will actually help you to sit correctly.
So, what is the Back App chair?
The Back App chair is an ergonomic office chair like nothing you have seen before. Boasting a unique design proven to help protect your back, the Back App chair uses patented technology to guarantee you sit with the correct posture. With the appearance of a stool – the Back App chair has no backrest – the striking minimalist design looks ultra-modern. The seat itself is designed like a saddle so that you sit with your thighs open in an open-hip posture. The seat is high, like a stool, so you are closer to standing than sitting.
Not only this ergonomic chair looks great but it is environmentally friendly too because a substantial portion of the chair is made from 100 percent recycled aluminium.
How does it work?
Back App calls its chair a training apparatus because “sitting on it exercises your muscles”, so it can take a couple of days to get used to. When sitting on conventional office chairs, even the most ergonomically designed ones, your body is in a passive state and over long periods of time this can lead to health problems. In the Back App chair your body is constantly moving and this can take a bit of getting used to. But it is important to remember that the Back App chair is designed in a such a way that it is practically impossible to sit in an incorrect posture.
The most striking feature of the Back App chair is the red “magic ball” located at the base of the padded foot ring. By twisting this “magic ball” you can increase or decrease the balance challenge. A helpful coloured gauge on the side allows you to measure the balance challenge. Red means more challenge, green means less.
When you’ve adjusted the balance challenge, adjust the seat to the correct height and make sure you are sitting comfortably in an open-hip stance. Once you are sitting on the seat, rest your feet on the padded foot ring, which acts like a balance board and allows your body to remain in constant motion.
The Back App chair is designed to do the following:
- Keep the body active allowing it to burn more energy by balancing on the foot rest and the “magic ball”.
- Encourage active sitting so you can exercise the core muscles in your pelvis and the front and back of your legs.
- Ensuring you are sitting in the correct upright posture.
Who designed the Back App chair?
The Back App chair was designed by Dr Freddy Johnsen. Dr Johnsen was a sufferer of chronic back problems and after the second operation on his back he came upon the idea of sitting with his feet on a balance board. At first he was not sure his idea would work but he soon discovered that by placing a ball and padding on the balance board it would be strong enough to support a person’s weight allowing you to balance whilst sitting down. The Back App chair design is now patented in America, Europe and Japan.
The Back App chair has been tested by leading scientists from Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland and the results of their review were published in medical journals. Out of 364 physiotherapists and chiropractors who have tested the chair, 97 per cent stated that the Back App chair was good for people with lower back pain. Additionally, Scientists from the University of Limerick, here in Ireland, have published a research study showing someone using a Back App chair burns 19 per cent more energy than they would in a more conventional chair.
Is the Back App chair the right choice for me?
The Back App chair is a unique product and one that has received rave reviews from medical experts and individual users alike. As mentioned earlier, it can take a bit longer to get used to because of the uniqueness of its design and while your body becomes accustomed to exercising whilst sitting. At Radius Office Furniture we recognise that choosing the right office chair is one of the most important decisions when it comes to office furniture. We are always on hand for practical and friendly advice, so why not give us a call today.
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