Active Sitting

Active Sitting is a subtopic to the field of Ergonomics and Human Factors. Active Sitting is a well established concept that applies primarily to chairs and stools that allow movement. The main premise of Active Sitting is to allow or encourage a seated occupant to move. Active Sitting is a growing area of interest due to the negative health affects associated with traditional rigid seating. One of the earliest forms of Active Sitting is the common rocking chair which allows forward and backward swaying motion. The opposite of Active Sitting is Static Sitting. The majority of chairs and stools that are commercially available today still tend to be Static, that is they restrict posture movement. The general principle of Active Sitting is that flexibility and movement (while seated) can be beneficial to the human body and can make some seated tasks easier to perform. A new breed of chairs and stools that promote Active Sitting are emerging. These products typically allow some freedom of movement that encourages the human occupant to assume a more dynamic posture. These products may allow the seat pan and/or backrest to tilt in such a way that it follows and conforms to the movements and physiology of the seated occupant. Various Active Sitting products may offer different kinds of movement: forward & backward, lateral (side to side), 360 degree wobble, etc.

What is the driving force behind Active Sitting?For thousands of years mankind has been performing active physical tasks throughout the day. Only in recent history has mankind found itself sitting for long periods with little movement. As found in many modern jobs, the human body is not well adapted for the long hours typically spent sitting in a rigid or restrictive posture. Back pain and circulation discomfort are part of a growing avalanche of complaints observed by physical therapists, chiropractors, and other physicians. These complaints are often associated with extended static sitting. Active Sitting attempts reduce or prevent a variety negative effects. In the last 10 years many new US patents have been issued for Active Sitting inventions. Additionally, many new Active Sitting products are now available on the internet.