Kneeling chair
A chair that lowers the thighs to reduce back strain.
A kneeling chair is a type of chair designed for sitting with the thighs lowered to an angle of about 60° to 70° from vertical, with some body weight supported by the shins. It was invented in modern times by Hans Christian Mengshoel and Peter Opsvik in 1979, who together created the original Balans chair. Three Norwegian designers—Oddvin Rykken, Peter Opsvik, and Svein Gusrud—further developed chairs based on the same principle. The chair is meant to reduce lower back strain by dividing weight between the shins and buttocks, and is commonly used by people with coccyx or tailbone pain from prolonged sitting.
- Inventor
- Hans Christian Mengshoel and Peter Opsvik
- Developers
- Oddvin Rykken, Peter Opsvik, Svein Gusrud
Lore & Background
Hans Christian Mengshoel and Peter Opsvik invented the original kneeling chair, the Balans chair, in 1979. Three Norwegian designers—Oddvin Rykken, Peter Opsvik, and Svein Gusrud—further developed chairs based on the same principle. The chair creates an open body angle by lowering the angle of the lower body, keeping the spine in alignment and the sitter properly positioned to task.
Reader's Guide
The kneeling chair's significance lies in its attempt to address lower back strain from prolonged sitting, a common issue in office desk jobs. By dividing weight between the shins and buttocks, it aims to keep the spine aligned and maintain a body angle of 90° or wider when leaning inward. However, academic studies offer mixed conclusions: A. C. Mandal's research from the 1960s to 1990s supported a forward sloping seat for spine alignment, while Drury and Francher's 1985 study found the Balans chair 'no better than conventional chairs and could be worse than well-designed conventional office chairs'. Lander et al. in 1987 found support for increased blood circulation, and a 1989 study on 20 subjects concluded the Balans chair promoted greater lumbar curvature than a straight back chair. A 2008 study confirmed that kneeling chairs set at +20° inclination maintain standing lumbar curvature more than standard computer chairs. A common misconception is that weight bears on the knees; in a proper kneeling chair, most weight remains on the buttocks, with some on the shins, and the shin rests primarily prevent falling forward. The saddle chair offers another approach to keep the body from falling forward, seen in some sit-stand stools.
Did You Know?
- The original kneeling chair, the Balans chair, was invented by Hans Christian Mengshoel and Peter Opsvik in 1979.
- In a proper kneeling chair, most weight remains on the buttocks, not the knees; the shin rests primarily keep one from falling forward.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who invented the kneeling chair?
The kneeling chair was created in 1979 by Norwegian designers Hans Christian Mengshoel and Peter Opsvik, who together produced the original Balans chair.
What problem does the kneeling chair solve?
It distributes a sitter's weight across both the shins and the buttocks rather than concentrating it on the lower spine, which eases strain on the lower back and is especially helpful for people dealing with tailbone or coccyx pain.
How does a kneeling chair differ from a standard office chair?
Instead of keeping the thighs horizontal, it tilts them down to roughly a 60–70 degree angle from vertical, so the shins bear part of the body's load and the pelvis sits in a more open, forward-tilted position.
Which other Norwegian designers built on the kneeling-chair concept?
Beyond the original Mengshoel and Opsvik pair, Oddvin Rykken, Peter Opsvik, and Svein Gusrud each went on to develop their own chair models that relied on the same shin-supporting, thigh-lowering principle.
Why is the kneeling chair considered a notable Norwegian invention?
It came out of a distinctly Norwegian design tradition that prioritises ergonomic problem-solving over aesthetics, and the fact that multiple independent Norwegian teams refined the same core idea in the late 1970s and 1980s made it a recognisable piece of Norwegian industrial design.
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