Saddle sitting is a more healthful form of sitting for many work tasks than conventional sitting. But we won't lie to you -- you may have to stretch and tone your way into it. Many people are comfortable in a saddle right away; others take time to get used to the new sensation.
One should build up to saddle sitting just as one builds up to an exercise program. Saddle sitting is "therapeutic." It activates postural reflexes and core muscles, unlike conventional chairs that put your postural muscles to sleep.
Most Back Designs' staff members prefer saddle-sitting, even though we are free to choose any ergonomic chair available anywhere. However, we didn't all adopt saddle-sitting overnight. Some of us took up to two years of trials with other ergonomic chairs before we felt compelled (ususally by some persistent neck or back discomfort) to explore saddle sitting.
Here's what we've learned about building up saddle-tolerance with our own staff:
1) Seat pressure issues usually subside in 2-3 weeks.
Some people initially experience soreness where their bones meet the saddle. In conventional chairs we are accustomed to bearing weight on our "sit bones" (ischial tuberosities) while in a saddle seat we bear weight on our hip joints, which are not used to feeling that pressure. Some men initially experience pressure or numbness in their groin, just as they would experience on horseback. These discomforts are temporary and have no known health risks.
Note: Saddle sitting has not been found to produce the male genital concerns that occur with bicycle riding. The pelvis is quite upright when uses a saddle seat, not tilted forward as it would be when bicycle riding. The area of soft tissue that could be vulnerable to compromise in a saddle seat is much smaller than the area under pressure in a bicycle seat. Also, the vulnerability of the soft tissues is greater in a bicycle seat both because of the pelvic position and because of superimposed vibration and shear forces.
2) Hip joint stretch discomfort usually goes away in 3 - 8 weeks.
We never hear this complaint in children as they naturally have flexible hip joints. However with age, hip joints can become stiff. If your hip joints are stiff, you may feel that the seat is too wide or you may experience stretch discomfort in your hip joints, especially when you reach forward. Trust us on this one -- "This too shall pass." In fact, there is some evidence that this type of stretching can relieve and reduce hip joint arthritis!
Use the seat a little more each day, and gradually your hips will stretch out and feel great!
3) General fatigue sensation can take 6 - 18 months to disappear!
The fatigue issue is an interesting one. EMG studies reveal that the postural muscles (back extensors, abdominals, pelvic muscles, large leg muscles) are DORMANT in a conventional ergonomic task chair. However, the postural muscles are ACTIVE in a saddle seat. In addition, studies reveal that for people (i.e., dentists) using conventional task chairs, muscle activity is largely in the neck, upper thoracic, and shoulder girdle areas, while in a saddle seat the pattern of muscle recruitment shifts: there is a marked decrease in muscle activity in the neck/upper back/shoulder girdle areas along with increased activity in the large postural muscles.
The fatigue experienced when converting to saddle-sitting, has to do with the time it takes to tone-up the postural muslces which have become deconditioned from disuse. Even atheletic people can experience this fatigue, as postural muscle tone is not trained in all types of sports.
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