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Office health chairs forergo - active and healthy sitting

Man at technical age


Radical change of life conditions in the 20th century

For thousands of years life conditions of each generation changed only slightly. People were hunters and collectors and were in motion almost for the whole day. Their normal day was dynamic. While wide awake, people were travelling all the time, it means they set off on one leg on which they transferred the total weight of their body. Consequently, they lifted their pelvis on the opposite side and moved the other leg forward. During this periodic kinetic model the pelvis moved all the time, once to the left, then to the right side. Also lumbar vertebras moved archedly to the left or to the right. Movement of thoracic and cervical vertebras was antagonistic. The head was always fixed in a vertical position.

During standing and walking we have an adequate posture of body and legs. Sense of balance takes control and passes the information further. Vertical axis of the body moves into all directions, in other words, it keeps balance.

During this movement, the spine moves physiologically and pelvis rotates.

Thanks to this thousands years old movement model the human moving and supporting apparatus developed in certain system during which all courses concur. Movement models and reactions running in pelvis area and in various parts of spine up to the head can be easily demonstrated on an example of function of tooth wheel.

Skeleton, muscles, tendons, ligaments and also joints developed in a sophisticated biomechanic system. Powers that operates through muscles works, as toothwheel, at the same time from the bottom to the top and contrary. Contrary movement models are results of agonistic and antagonistic acting of muscle apparatus.

Change at work place

The way of life of contemporary human has a little in common with this state that was developing for thousands of years. In the last decade dramatical changes happened mainly at work place. Voigt/Mellerowicz characterizes them as:

Thus, we can conclude that normal working day of a modern man is typical of tension, limited movement and necessity to keep forced body posture, to perform unilateral partial movements.

Through external conditions that can be influenced by a human only in a limited way we are more and more forced to sit without movement for many hours.

Man distributes his physical weight round vertical axis of the body. If you are forced to sit, two sides of body are made, always with front and back vertical. If the person moves backwards and forwards between these two verticals, it means dynamically, the sitting is not necessarily damaging. It is much worse if movement lowers or stops completely.

Psychological and neuropsychological givenness of human

During historical development a hierarchic structure of kinetic centres developed from the bottom to the top, it means from spinal controlling level (spinal chord) to supraspinal (in the brain).

  Supraspinal controlling level

Formation reticularis, cerebellum, diencephalon, cerebral cortex, etc.

Development and course of kinetic co-ordinating models

  Spinal controlling level – spinal chord

Activation and suppression of kinetic units, controlling of tension and lengths of muscles, simple movements

Receptors: Contractile structures:

Muscle spindles

Motor ending lamellas

Optical spindles

Arthral receptors

Temperature receptors

Pain receptors

Controlling levels of kinetics (Refer to Badtke 1995)

Balance keeping and normal posture of the body is ensured by supporting kinetics which is influenced mainly by brain stem but also by cerebellum. Afferent branches to the brain stem (from periphery) come from total sensokinetics and from head nerves. The most important are two branches that come from organ of balance and branches from muscles – fascia and cervical joints.

Connection of spinal neurons on the base of stimulations from periphery or from higher spheres of CNS (central nerve system) enables to make complex movements and their coordination. Higher spheres of CNS control function of spinal chord. Sensitive or afferent stimuli from skin receptors (free nervous ending) and from deep body organs such as joints, muscles (muscle spindles) tendons (bunch of tendons/Golgi apparatus) go to the spine mainly through back dorsal roots of spinal nerves and from here they continue into three different ways:

  Muscle spindles and bunch of tendons are prolonged receptors that transfer information on length of muscles and muscle tension.

Spinal chord is both motive reflexive organ and controlling organ to superior brain centres, it means to supraspinal controlling level.

Spinal chord as a reflexive organ receives impulses that come from all parts of body through afferent lines and sends stimulation unconsciously (without activation of supraspinal centres in brain) through efferent lines to all body reactions which are necessary for keeping the organism alive. These life essential reactions include heart activities, blood circulation, activation of endocrine system and keeping correct body posture with the help of skeletal and smooth muscles. Abdominal muscles also play important role in keeping the correct body posture.

Consequences of civilization and working changes

Many people feel on their own body that due to current form of „modern“ life physiological possibilities of their organisms are neglected. They suffer more and more from physical and psychosomatic troubles. This is connected with following symptoms:

These difficulties and problems are not connected only with individual but have economic impact. Accidents at work and disorders according to type of job lead to reduced tax income and cause problems to social insurance. In 1997 in Germany 17 calendar days at approx. 30,4 mil gainful workers could be left due to sickness leave. On the base of estimation made by United institute for working protection and working health service (BAuA) company costs on working deficit are approx. 45,7 mld EUR in a year. Deficit of value making caused by the sickness leave due to sudden sickness or accidents rises to the amount of 76 mld EUR in a year.

 Sick leave days in mil. Costs in mld. EUR

Distribution of economic deficit at production according to types of illnesses is based on statistics of sickness types made by United federation of business sickness cash desks (BKK). Thus, in 1997, similarly to previous years, more than three quarters of all days spent on sickness leave are caused by five biggest groups of illnesses. In addition to these expenses, on treatment and rehabilitation of problems with muscles, skeleton, breathing, accidents, poisoning, digestive organs, heart, blood circulation 46 mld EUR were used. This is based on study made by BKK for United ministry of health.

Every year companies pay more than 30 mld. EUR a year for long-term wage payments.

Frequency and costs connected with backache

Insufficiency of present attempts to find solution

Many scientists point to the fact that many problems of present human are connected with the way of sitting. In the past attempts to solve this problem were limited to body relief from work at standing position, which was transferred to the chair. In the course of this progression seats and rests developed, which were supposed to assimilate to user’s body at the expense of complicated manipulation. That is why, a joke „obsession with adjustment“ or „chair with a driving licence“ originated. The phrase depicts very complex and difficult to understand chairs and adjustment mechanisms which are possible to buy. However, these sitting systems could only a little contribute to the problem solving because their constructers forgot the fact that each form of static sitting contradicts to developed movement model of human and in fact it means only dead sitting (lifeless). It is applicable mainly in situations when levelling mechanisms and reflexes of the user are not supported. Balance sense as the highest controlling organ is out of order and becomes redundant. If a chair forces certain sitting position which does not fit to physiological movement course, many muscle groups are not activated. As a consequence, there is a vicious circle caused by wrong body posture and consequent pain.

Once more we describe disadvantages of static, forced sitting:

Static chairs have its seat firmly connected with bottom stand. Thus, user has to sit in certain position and his sense of balance and of dynamic movement course in his organism is out of order.

Seat of static chairs does not allow pelvis to lean around, which leads to a strong unilateral loading of intervertebral discs. Pelvis area remains in fixed position (without motion).

Seat of static chairs does not move during lateral leaning. As a consequence, spine leans to the side and is loaded in the area of intervertebral discs.

During static sitting intervertebral discs are very pressed both in anterior – posterior and at the side sitting position. Furthermore, discs are exposed to pressure that limits metabolism and exchange of liquids and contribute to their degeneration.

Modern man is the only creature in the world that believes that he can live without problems under these static conditions. No other species would sit on a chair without movement for many hours. Thus, medicine and other sciences are to investigate negative effects of static sitting and to use acquired knowledge in production of equipments (chairs) which bring positive elements into the life of the user and which are typical of user’s dynamic way of life.

Dynamic sitting as an attempt promising successful solution

Attempt to eliminate muscle-skeleton system disorders of modern man, who spends his time mainly in a sitting position, was not very successful with the help of static sitting systems. The most sophisticated static chairs and chair systems did not fulfilled expectations. Dynamism which accompanies running, walking and standing could not have been reached in a wanted scale. To achieve dynamic sitting it is not enough to adjust the seat into various positions or to use two dimensional pseudo functions by swinging mechanism. The seat has to take into account all movement spectrum of human, it has to give three-dimensional base on which it is possible to move naturally. Dynamic movement has been life potion of human existence for thousands of years. Thus, new sitting systems enabling dynamic movement are wanted. The problem can be solved by displacement of static way of sitting, it means by activation of muscle-skeletal system. The right and important step is to disconnect upper parts of chairs and lower stand and offer more dynamism to human organism during sitting. Sitting can look static but at the same time it has to enable movements into all directions.

Illustration of movement process in human

The best example is if we imagine that we tightly hold (between our thumb and index finger) a stake or a pencil and at the ends we rotate with it. Then it is easy to see and feel how both sides of the body move against each other. However, if the pelvis does not move, it has a bad impact on the whole body. Every movement that we make go through the centre of the body. Pelvis rotates into all directions and moves the body into correct (vertical) position.

Trunk muscles

Intact muscles are necessary for connection: each bones connection we can find in muscles and ligaments. Thanks to movement we keep ourselves healthy and efficient. Lack of movement threatens our health state and destabilizes us in all respects.

Movement module

Once again, let us explicitly describe symptoms and advantages of obvious „dynamic sitting“:

Movement is the most proved instrument reducing psychic stress (which must be burnt by movement).

Self-determinating sitting must be dynamic sitting. Detachment of the seat from fixed stand is a presumption that fluent movement into all directions emerges naturally. Only in this way sense of balance can take control over body posture as it happened for thousands of years while enabling human dynamism.

During dynamic sitting we reach the same kinetics as during walking or standing. During dynamic sitting we keep adequate body posture and legs position. Sense of balance takes control and afferently transfers information into controlling centres (centre of body moves into all direction, it means balance).

If we look at dynamic sitting in this way, positive effects on organism will emerge. However, this does not happen during stiff sitting which divides body into separate independent functional units above and below the pelvis. During this kind of sitting all movements go through pelvis. From dynamic view, we speak about uniform organism.

In order to ensure right nutrition of intervertebral discs, important diffusion procedures must be stimulated by persistent loading and relief. The same happens in a swan. Nutrients can come to discs only when the discs are unloaded. During loading the nutrition supply is limited. Change of these states is very important for correct nutrition of discs.

Change of loading and relief of intervertebral discs enables 2 x 3 dimensional sitting. Thanks to this, the process mentioned above can happen and problems with discs can be reduced or disappear.

Dynamic sitting strengthens muscles of the body. In contrast to static sitting, body posture can be improved by unconscious, continual movements of all back muscles and their antagonists in abdomen area. Thus, a chance to spend a normal working day without pain rises very rapidly. Side effects are optimalization of breathing and positive psychic state. We can conclude that dynamic sitting systems that offer three-dimensional base for sitting and enable to make natural and three-dimensional movements have many positive effects. It is obvious that it is not enough only to form and make chairs made-to-measure and to ensure two-dimensional function with the help of mechanical parts.

It is possible to achieve more and it is easier than you would think.

And for those who are still in doubts there are more than four hundred years old but still valid wisdom:

Whenever scientists hear about a new discovery, at the beginning they assert: „It won’t probably work!”

If the discovery is confirmed as correct they say: „It can work, however, this discovery is unimportant!“

Eventually after some time, if the discovery turns out to be important, the answer will be: „Of course, it is important, however, this discovery is nothing new!“

 

Chairs open new dimensions – biodynamic sitting as a central element of health

This is an old and painful experience which was acquired by older generations and which many people have to bear today: person, who spends most time in sitting position, suffers from back pain and overstrain. Such person often has to go to orthopaedic consulting room where he tries to fight with consequences of bad sitting. Human that was made to walk in an upright position became a housebody in modern times.

Many producers of sitting furniture at least tried to respond to appeal and offered optimal chairs for contemporary man who is due to his work forced to sit. Dr. Med. Habil. Theodor Peters, “pope of chairs” from Düsseldorf, for decades looked as a specialist in working/social med for possibilities of sitting that would relieve human body while working at writing desk and computer. Finally, the doctor was successful: result – evolutionary system of chairs – was introduced to Dortmund United Institute for protection at work and health service at trade fair Expo 2000.

Let us have a look back to the past: in the middle of the 1950s a new finding spread: a good state of spine is a basic presumption for a good health state of sitting person. For long-time sitting people, sitting on “orthopaedic” places should keep the spine healthy. However, in 1963 doctors found out that sitting should not be static but dynamic process.

In spite of that, it was Siegfried Pürner, structural designer from Marktredwitz, who developed a biodynamic chair which preventively counterworks overstrain and pain in back. “Biodynamic sitting means: sitting on a movable rest and in this way mobility into all three dimensions can be kept. It means that limitation of reflex that is directed exogenously is reduced, stimuli for reflex are improved, thus, decline of vital reflection processes is avoided. For muscles it means: keeping of myodynamia due to continuous use of muscles”, asserts Dr. Med Bernd Reinhard from Bad Aibling.

Pending system, named after Waldershofer’s company which produce these chairs, positively stimulates muscles and has an immediate impact on organism. For system Pending, which looks as a normal modern chair used to a writing desk, the sitting means movement. Professor Peters appreciates the chair that was examined by him: “During this dynamic sitting nobody has a feeling that he does not sit steady because steady does not mean static. If you sit on a chair provided with Pending mechanism, you perceive this more dimensional movement course as very pleasant. Furthermore, it has a good effect on heart and blood circulation”, says sitting specialist.

According to both doctors and tested people, curative effects of system Pending are indisputable because continuous movement trains both muscles and relieves spine. Moreover, movement leads to better blood circulation and oxygenation, activates heart, lungs and improves efficiency. Professor Peters, as advisor for work med and ergonomics, attributes to Pending system a “complex effect”.

Only in SRN about 12 mil. people sit at their offices every day, 12 mil. pupils torture themselves approximately for 35 hours per week on bad chairs and almost 9 mil. retired people only seldom move from their chairs. About 7 mil. days people spent on sickness leave per year because of muscle rheumatism. Due to bad body posture and lack of movement many people have not only problems with discs, pain in sacrum, rheumatic disorders such as muscle overstrain but also functional disorders of viscus which include for example breathing, heart function, blood circulation and digestion.

Today we can prevent from it – problems and disorders can be easily „avoided“.

Obsessed with sitting – Siegfried Pürner discovers healthy chair

Siegfried Pürner, structural designer from Marktredwitz, is obsessed with everything that is connected with sitting. He puzzles, examines and in statics he is not easily to be cheated. He has experiences acquired at building sites all over the world. In the meantime, he became specialist also on human body.

Biodynamic system Pending that signed itself on healthy, natural sitting was invented a long time ago. Developed by Pürner in 1986, the system connects the system above with the second generation of chairs for office and home. It emphasizes the idea of never-tiring and unloaded sitting with super family extravagant design. This updated and unique system of „sitting in motion“ not only prevents from back damage but also provides fresh concentrating work for a long time.

Medical research showed that over 65% of all employees do not sit correctly. At least sometimes 80% of people suffer from back pain 1/3 of people at age between 35 and 50 have chronic back pain even though right therapy preventing from this is easy to reach: correct sitting. Siegfried Pürner transferred his experience on human skeleton and used simple but genial trick how to eliminate source of problem during sitting: he combined principles of swing and gymnastic ball!

In theory it is very easy, however, it is necessary to have some knowledge and experiences: module Pending disconnects sitting place from bottom base; 8 steel wires are in its centre. Each of them is able to resist pressure of approx. 600kgs in traction. In this way, the seat is free to move into all directions as a swing, however, with exactly defined flexibility. Constructer Pürner managed to integrate qualities of gymnastic ball into the system. This mechanism corresponds by the way of reclining of sitting places to sense of balance when the body stays in optimal sitting position and automatically keeps correct and healthy posture.

You do not have to be a circus performer to be able to sit comfortably and without tiredness on chairs with Pending system. Models look not only ordinary, modern chairs used to writing desk but also you can sit on them absolutely without any problems. There is a slight but very important difference: Seat of Pending system can level and lean and pressure of vertebrae is distributed into the centre of spine. Muscles, mainly in area of trunk, back and shoulders are trained thanks to continuous movement stimuli. Spine is supported and lightened at the same time.

It is not easy to feel and keep healthy. However, if you consider the newest generation of Pending system, it is not so difficult to feel good both in the office and at home.

Thanks to optical disguise of Pending module, all models looks lightly, airy and very sophisticated. All models are designed by intracompany department „Enzo-Design“. Two coloured covers from fabric or leather gives strong accents to the chair and beech wood in the area of back restraint makes the chair really unique. Design of root wood is made with a special paint and cover by three layers of varnish lacquer. Chrome ledges results in noble glance of chairs.

Successful connection of design and art creates not only office chairs, which optically improve every working place, but Siegfried Pürner and his team take interest in health supported by correct sitting. Prevention from arthral disorders, support of metabolism, better vascularity caused by movement and relief to spine and discs make arguments that persuaded also critical doctors. In my view chairs provided with system Pending correspond to presumption of dynamic sitting and give a new dimension to this principle, as Düsseldorf „pope of chairs“ professor Dr. Med Theodor Peters asserts. For decades he looked for professional doctor specialized in working/social innovative possibilities of sitting that would help to human body in sitting position.

We can shortly express it:

„Sit, feel good, stay healthy!“

 

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