Office chairs

Kneeling Chairs and Saddle Stools: Who Are They For, and What Are the Trade-Offs?

Published · By Ergocrew · Specs and guidance as of that date, from the pages under Sources

Summary

Kneeling chairs and saddle seats offer different ways to sit and change position, but the category name does not establish fit. A kneeling design uses shin pads; a saddle seat can support a higher working position. Check the individual model's backrest, height range and foot support against your work surface. Keep your existing chair available while you try the new seat, and judge the transitions and supported positions you can use rather than expecting a particular design to suit everyone.

How a kneeling chair works

A kneeling chair combines a forward-sloping seat with lower pads for the shins. Varier describes its Variable model as having a tilted seat, shin supports and curved runners. Its instructions allow several leg positions, including one or both feet on the floor, so kneeling continuously is not the only way to use that design.

Without a backrest, there is no rear surface to lean against. Curved runners permit rocking on designs such as Variable, but getting on and off and changing leg position still need a practical check.

How a saddle or perching stool works

A saddle stool has a contoured seat that you sit astride, with your legs angled down and your feet supported by the floor or, on some models, a foot rest or ring. Because the seat can go high, the stool can work at drafting tables, lab benches and counter-height desks where a regular chair would leave you too low.

One example is the HAG Capisco. Flokk, its maker, describes a saddle seat adjustable "from low to high working positions, up to a standing position," intended for "dynamic movement while sitting balanced," and suited to high desks. Flokk's US page gives a 470-655 mm seat-height range with its standard 200 mm lift (checked 2026-11-02). In inches, 470 / 25.4 = 18.5 in. and 655 / 25.4 = 25.8 in. Flokk also lists an optional longer lift; we have not confirmed its range.

What guidance says about sitting and changing position

CCOHS, Canada's occupational health agency, frames seated work around neutral posture. Its sitting fact sheet, last revised 2024-07-31, says "The basic requirements are to have a workstation and job tasks designed to allow a person to remain in a neutral posture." It defines that posture as the position with "the highest strength" and "the least strain on muscles, tendons, and ligaments," and lists reference points that include soles of the feet at 90° to the lower legs and elbows bent 90° to 120°.

CCOHS's sit/stand guidance adds a principle about movement: "Whenever possible, a worker should be able to work sitting or standing at will." For a high seat, test the change from sitting to standing as well as the sitting position. The seat and desk need to work together in both modes.

OSHA's chair guidance describes a conventional office chair. It calls for a height-adjustable lumbar support, a backrest that reclines at least 15 degrees from the vertical and locks or has tension control, adjustable armrests, and a five-leg base. In OSHA's words, "The chair should have a five-leg base with casters that allow easy movement along the floor." A model without a backrest or casters cannot be assumed to provide those features. Compare the actual design; the Capisco 8106, for example, has a backrest and a five-star base, rather than being a backless stool.

Trade-offs: back support, shins, desk height

Who they suit, and how to try one

For a higher work surface, the HÅG Capisco 8106 is one model to compare: Flokk lists 470-655 mm, or approximately 18.5-25.8 in, with its 200 mm lift, checked 2026-11-02. Confirm the chosen lift and your required seated height with Flokk before ordering. A kneeling chair changes the seat and leg support in a different way, so try that design at the desk where you intend to use it rather than assuming it will fit a high bench.

A seat that makes it difficult to get on, change leg position or stand up is a poor match for your task. Before buying, try the actual model at a showroom if possible and check its return terms. Check foot support, clearance beneath the desk and where your elbows meet the work surface. Keep the regular chair available while you get used to the alternative; neither OSHA's conventional-chair checklist nor a maker's movement claim establishes a universal daily limit for another seat design.

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Related guides

Sources

  1. Varier, Variable Design and Use Instructions
  2. Flokk US store, HAG Capisco
  3. CCOHS, Working in a Sitting Position - Basic Information
  4. CCOHS, Sit/Stand Work
  5. OSHA Computer Workstations eTool, Chairs

We have not tested these products. Specs and guidance are as published on these pages on the date above and can change; the manufacturer's page for your model has the current details.

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