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SelfLaunches August 11 at 9:00 a.m. EST
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This Kneeling Desk Chair Saved My Lower Back, Knees, and Hips

It puts all other seating to shame.
Image may contain Furniture Adult Person Computer Hardware Electronics Hardware Monitor Screen Table and Chair
Original photo by SELF writer Kells McPhillips / Branch / Laneen Wells

All products featured on SELF are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Pros
  • Corrects your posture
  • Ergonomic
  • Lightweight
Cons
  • Pricey
  • Height isn’t adjustable

The perfect desk chair has to strike a delicate balance: It can’t be so comfortable that it makes you want to curl up and take a nap, nor so rigid you’re too fidgety to get work done. Not going to lie: I thought this unicorn didn’t exist. That is, until a friend of mine showed me her “funky, yet awesome” new desk chair. I quickly ordered my own Branch Variable Kneeling Chair ($349, branchfurniture.com), and I’m happy to report that my hips, lower back, and knees have never felt better.

Branch Variable Kneeling Chair in branded component on a light gray background

Branch

Variable Kneeling Chair

After a month of using this triangular seat, I’m already convinced it’s earned a permanent spot in my work-from-home setup. Wondering if kneeling chairs are all they’re hyped up to be? Here’s everything you need to know.

The design

If you’ve never seen a kneeling chair before, your first look may leave you with a laundry list of questions. Branch’s version is backless, with a tilted seat and two pads on the legs where your knees rest. The curved legs cause the chair to rock slightly as you sit, move around, or lean toward your computer screen.

Original photo by SELF writer Kells McPhillips

Kneeling chairs help make your daily eight-plus hours at your desk a little more energetic, according to Milica McDowell, DPT, vice president of operations at Gait Happens. “[They] encourage a more active sitting posture, which [engages] your muscles in the core, lower back, and upper spine,” she tells SELF. “Kneeling chairs also require you to make micro-weight-shifting movements when you use them, so anyone who experiences stiffness or low back pain should feel less discomfort when using them.”

But this kneeling position benefits more than just your posture and joints. Dr. Dowell adds that, while traditional chairs keep your hips crunched at 90-degree angles, kneeling chairs allow you to open them up a bit. “This can be super helpful if you've previously struggled with any hip pain or stiffness,” she says.

Sitting on a kneeling chair

Original photo by SELF writer Kells McPhillips

Since setting up the Variable Kneeling Chair (which took less than 15 minutes), I’ve put it to work while answering emails and Slack messages. FYI: The chair is pretty compact, measuring 20 inches tall, 28 inches long, and 19 inches wide, but the seat height isn’t adjustable, so it’s worth measuring your desk before placing an order.

When I sit down, I notice that my core activates immediately, due to the slight tilt of the seat. It doesn’t feel like a hard-core plank workout—just a little tension that reminds me of sitting on an exercise ball. I also notice that my hips and knees feel nice and relaxed while I sit on the chair. Because my weight is more evenly distributed, there’s a sense of lightness that I’ve never experienced while working at my desk.

At the same time, because holding this posture requires some balance, it almost feels like being in a very casual yoga pose all day long. I also love that I can rock the chair ever so slightly as the hours wear on—a great feature for anyone who likes to fidget throughout the day.

Over the weeks I’ve sat on the Variable Kneeling Chair, I’ve switched between kneeling, placing both feet on the knee pads, and sitting on the seat with my feet on the floor. Without a doubt, all three positions leave me with less pain than my old school desk chair did. I’ve also noticed that my hips don’t feel as tight when I’m out and about or indulging in a stretching class after work.

Another bonus? How easy it is to move this chair around. As someone who shares a small home office space with my partner, I often have to relocate to our dining table or countertops when I need more room. Now I always take my kneeling chair with me—I’m never going back.

Bottom line

At $349, the Variable Kneeling Chair definitely costs more than your average office chair. That said, people with knee, back, or hip pain (like me!) will find it a worthwhile investment. If we’re going to spend eight hours sitting at our desks every day, we might as well sit on something that doesn’t leave us with debilitating discomfort outside of office hours, right?

Anyone with similar tightness in their lower body may benefit from alternating between a kneeling chair and a regular chair at first. That way, you can gradually get used to this new way of sitting. Personally, I’ll be kneeling on my chair until it falls to pieces—and even then, I may just tape it back together and keep answering my emails.

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