Types of kneeling chairs – Plus pros & cons

There are different types of kneeling chairs available then you will spot these when you are browsing websites or shops. Believe it or not, the type of kneeling chair that you choose will be a deal breaker in terms of how suitable it is for your needs and environment.

Kneeling chairs can provide incredible benefits for your health and posture; however, if the wrong type of kneeling chair is selected, it could be detrimental to your posture and completely unsuitable for you requirements.

Read on to discover different types of kneeling chairs along with the pros and cons of each type so that you can make the best choice kneeling chair for you. Let’s get started.

Did you know? Kneeling chairs offer less support to your back and core region, so it engages these muscles more than when using standard office chairs. Source

Types of kneeling chairs

The main types of kneeling chairs include:

• X-frame Kneeling Chair
  • Single Knee Pad Chair
  • Double Knee Pad Chair

• Rocker Kneeling Chair
• Backrest Kneeling Chair
• Saddle Kneeling Chair

 

X-frame Kneeling Chair

As the name suggests, this style of chair features an X shaped structure. It also usually has casters on the base to allow for easy movement and unlike the rocker kneeling chairs, these feature height adjustable components.

This makes them more suitable for individuals who are shorter or taller than the average height. Plus, if multiple people will be using the chair, it allows for a greater range of heights to be accommodated.

These are one of the most common types of kneeling chairs available on the market and tend to be the cheapest as well. Choosing cheaper chairs can affect the quality and design of the kneeling chair.

Tip: If you need to store the chair when not in use, it may be helpful to choose a kneeling chair that can fold up. This will allow for more compact for storage when you are not using it.

Pros	Cons
Cheapest type of kneeling chair	Cheap parts are prone to breakage
Wide range of availability	May not offer as much weight capacity
Lightweight for easy portability	Tend to be less sturdy
Height adjustable	Limited range of movement within chair
Includes wheels for easy movement
Consumes minimal space
May have foldable feature for compact storage

Single Knee Pad Chair

X frame and rocking chairs can be further subdivided into having a single knee pad or a double knee pad. A single knee pad is 1 long knee pad which offers a greater footprint for the user to position their knee.

This is particularly valuable if the user is alternating the angle of which they sit on the chair.

However, since there is no gap in between the knee pads, it limits the number of positions
which you can adopt while sitting on the kneeling chair.

Pros	Cons
Greater footprint for positioning knees	Allows user to adopt poor knee positioning
Less risk of knees slipping off pads	Prohibits you resting one leg in front of the chair

Double Knee Pad Chair

X frame chairs and rocking kneeling chairs are also available with 2 separate knee pads. This style is more common than single knee pads.

They feature a gap in between each knee pad. The benefit of having double knee pads is that it encourages a more ergonomic angle of your knees as you sit.

The gap in between the knee pads allows you to achieve a greater range of postures. For instance, you can rest one of your legs with your foot flat on the floor while the other knee is positioned on the knee pad.

Additionally, you can place your foot on the new pad and the other foot in between the knee pad gap so that your foot is resting on the floor.

A good chair will feature special foam to reduce the pressure on your legs and your knees.

Pros	Cons
Encourages better positioning of knees	Less footprint for angling knees
More commonly available on the market	Higher risk of knees slipping off knee pads
Gap between pads allows for alternating postures

Rocking Kneeling Chair

The rocking kneeling chair features a curved base along with a forward sloping seat. The design enables the user to rock gently back and forth while they are seated. This design doesn’t allow for height adjustability, and it tends to be more expensive as well.

They tend to be suitable for people with a height range of 5”2’ – 6”6’. Or at least the Sleekform rocker chair is.

Rocking kneeling chairs tend to be made from wood material and rocking chairs don’t feature castor wheels, so this makes a little bit more tricky to move them since they need to be lifted as opposed to being wheeled around.

The easiest way to determine if a kneeling chair features a rocking motion is to check the base of the chair. If it features curves at the front and rear of the chair, then it most likely can rock. However, if it is an X-frame shape which has a flat base or castor wheels, then it won’t be able to rock.

Similar to a traditional rocking chair, to rock back and forth, you will need to give the kneeling chair a gentle nudge to get it swaying.

If you prefer a greater range of motion, such as rocking side to side, opt for a rocker chair that doesn’t have a cross bar on the base of the chair.

Tip: Some chairs come equipped with anti-slide strips to achieve a better grip between the floor and the chair. Plus, it also prevents damage to the floor.

Pros	Cons
Rocking motion can be soothing	No wheels prohibit movement
Usually made from wood for study design	Chair must be lifted to move it
Generally higher weight capacity	No height adjustability
Anti-skid strips can prevent damage to floor	May not be suited for taller users
Can also allow slight rocking side to side	Lack of wheels can cause floor damage
Wooden design can be more aesthetically appealing	Curved base can create unwanted movement
	Rocking motion can be distracting
	Consume more space than x-frame chairs
	No foldable feature for compact storage

 

Backrest Kneeling Chair

Although not necessarily required since you’ll be positioned in an upright stance, kneeling chairs can come furnished with a backrest. In a way, this defeats the purpose of a kneeling chair, but it may be suited to someone who intends to use the kneeling chair for longer periods so that they can rest from the upright posture.

This type of kneeling chair could be nicknamed a deluxe kneeling chair as they tend to feature all the bells and whistles.

This can include:

• adjustable seat
• adjustable knee pads
• gas lift seat adjustment
• caster wheels
• backrest
• 5-star base

Some of these chairs even feature a 5-star base which allows for greater stability and makes it easier to locate yourself at an optimal position beside your desk.

Pros	Cons
High degree of adjustability	More expensive
Accommodates a greater range of heights	Consumes more space
Sturdy design	Heavier in weight
Higher weight capacity	Less portable
Wheels enable easy movement	Less easily stored
Wheels allow easy movement around desk	Limited availability of chairs on the market
Tends to be made from quality materials	Using backrest reduces core muscle engagement
Offers back support to reduce back fatigue
Can enable longer use of the chair

 

Saddle Kneeling Chair

Some kneeling chairs can come equipped with the saddle seat as opposed to a standard tilted rectangle or square seat.

The saddle shape is very similar to a bicycle seat, and they are designed to encourage a more upright posture while you sit.

Unfortunately, these are not very common on the market. However, the nature of a kneeling chair with a standard flat seat will often be sufficient at enhancing your posture.

A disadvantage of using a saddle seat is that it may place more pressure on the perennial area. So, if you experience issues in this area, the seat shape will definitely be more of a consideration for you.

Pros	Cons
Encourages better positioning of knees	Less footprint for angling knees
More commonly available on the market	Higher risk of knees slipping off knee pads
Gap between pads allows for alternating postures

 

Conclusion

There are evidently various types of kneeling chair you can choose from. Ultimately, it typically gets narrowed down to an x-frame and rocker chair as the most popular choices.

If you want further in-depth information on choosing a kneeling chair, and want to find out the 4 critical factors that will determine whether the kneeling chair you choose is even suitable, then this article will certainly be a game changer: How to choose a kneeling chair? 21 watch outs

If a standard office chair sounds more appealing, then perhaps a multi-functional office chair may be more what you’re looking for. My personal favourite office chair is the CoolMesh Pro Multi-Function Chair. It features a large range of adjustable components for a comfortable experience. Plus, it also comes with a lifetime warranty!

My aim with this website is to help you on all matters related to your home office and your work area. With that in mind, if you have any questions or comments on the above, please drop them in the box below. I’d love to hear them!

Recommended products:

1. DRAGONN by VIVO Ergonomic Kneeling Chair (link on Amazon)
2. Sleekform Austin Kneeling Chair (link on Amazon)
3. Eurotech Ergonomic Chair with lifetime warranty (link on OfficeFurniture2Go)