ASK THE EXPERT.
ARE YOU SITTING
comfortably?
WE’VE ALL SPENT A LOT MORE TIME SITTING DOWN IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS, BUT THE LATEST THINKING ON CHAIR DESIGN COULD HELP AVOID PAIN AND STIFFNESS AND EVEN HELP YOUR RIDING,
B
EXPLAINS DAVID NEWBOUND OF BACK PAIN PRODUCT SPECIALISTS BACK IN ACTION.
ack pain is a common complaint amongst riders, yet many will confi rm that they are far more comfortable when in the saddle on their horse than sitting at a desk or on the sofa. t’s time to challenge the common misconception that discomfort while sitting is caused by poor posture, when in fact the culprit is lack of movement. When you are on a horse your body is constantly moving, with your core working to keep you in position. n contrast, on most chairs, the lack of movement leads to the back muscles becoming weak and poorly co-ordinated. Circulation also drops, leading to poor soft tissue nutrition which is one reason why practitioners advise getting up and walking about frequently. When you do get moving, activities such as lifting a bale of hay can cause damage. or those who have o ce jobs as well as horses, the last months has e acerbated the situation as instead of going out to a meeting or moving to a different room, much of the time has been spent at the computer. Working from home almost always means that your chair
CAPISCO PULS AND SWOPPER SADDLE questrian consultant Sam orrest and her o ce team tried out the Capisco uls and also the Swopper saddle chair, mi ing and matching between them to fi nd the best individual choice. “We tend to sit for long periods when working on a project, so the idea of chair to create movement appeals,” she says. “ ne person found the Swopper hard work until she got used to it she’s young and doesn’t have much core strength. ut it’s a chair that you use little and often and then can see its benefits.” avid says “The Capisco uls was designed to re-create the posture of a good rider. t puts the user in a balanced position that activates and develops their core and is designed for use in numerous sitting positions, from
36 // Issue 4 2021 // BRITISH DRESSAGE
may have been designed for a different purpose. inding a better chair that offers movement has become more important than ever. The ariable kneeling chair, for e ample see opposite , was designed to introduce poise to sitting by putting the knees lower than the hips, which reduced tension in the hips. t has knee pads but can be used with lots of different leg positions, each of which places the sitter on a rocking base to create variety and e ercise. The ariable doesn’t have a backrest, but there isn’t one on a saddle either, which should make us all question why we need one on a chair. erhaps the only e ception is where you are in a less active role, such as sitting back and listening on a video call or to a webinar, and for that rocking kneelers are available with a purpose-designed back rest. nitially, you may find the chair’s movement tiring, because your core muscles are being asked to engage more often, but after to days users become acclimatised. s your core strengthens, a rocking kneeling chair can be used for a full working day. ut it’s not the only option inding the right chair for your needs is key to getting the greatest benefits. Choose a supplier that will take time to learn about your lifestyle and physical requirements as well as your working habits and available space.
working at a computer to taking phone calls. The Swopper Saddle puts the user in a similar position to a kneeling chair but allows back and forward and up and down movement.” Sam e plains “The Capisco uls has a part padded and shaped seat so is very comfortable. While it encourages you to sit upright there is a back rest, but fi nd only use it occasionally. t’s very different to a normal o ce chair, and when went back to one, it felt awful, quite constricting broke my back show jumping years ago and fi nd that keeping mobile makes a huge difference. t gives me more natural core strength that makes riding my advanced medium horse much easier.” LEFT: THE SWOPPER TOOK A BIT OF GETTING USED TO BUT SAM FOUND IT BENEFICIAL TO HAVE MOVEMENT WHEN SITTING AT A DESK FOR A LONG PERIOD. ABOVE: THE CAPISCO PULS PUTS THE USER IN A ‘KNEELING’ POSITION AND SAM SAYS SHE FEELS AN IMPROVEMENT WHEN RIDING AFTER USING IT..
