Ergonomic stools: the latest innovations
You know ergonomic chairs, but what about stools? Most of the time, it allows you to work with outstretched arms and to be able to make many movements. It allows you to diversify the pressure zones and not spend the day putting your weight (and therefore potential pain) on the lumbar area. Ideal for people who need to do a lot of movement during the day, such as health practitioners for example. Just like seats, the ergonomic stool market is mature and offers a fairly wide range of products. This is what we will try to illustrate with this new benchmark which scrutinizes 4 ergonomic stools. Let’s go !
Humanscale Dome Ballo Active Stool
No, you’re not watching a game of Mario Kart with Toad the Mushroom. You’re in front of one of the most premium ergonomic stools on the market. Designed by Don Chadwick, it promotes active sitting. Equipped with a compact center column and lightweight air-filled domes, Ballo is available in a range of vibrant colors. Definitely a work of goldsmith (Humanscale obliges) it is available at around 300 dollars (a little over 250 euros). Ergonomic and design, as always with the prestigious American manufacturer. It’s the ideal multipurpose stool for collaboration spaces, cafeterias and reception areas, as well as traditional workspaces and home offices.
The Ongo active Sitting stool
A slightly lower price. But a design no less amazing, with colors bordering on flashy. Unlike the other chairs tested, appearance was obviously as important as the orthopedic aspect during its design. With an enlarged base and seat, it remains very uncluttered for the rest. The manufacturer announces to treat practitioner by offering a dynamic seat, which allows and requires to make many movements, in complete safety. The backrest made of black microfibers absorbs shocks and does not exert all the pressure of the body on the lower back. His price ? You can find this magnificent object at a price slightly lower than 265 euros HT. ONGO lets you sit actively in both a low and high position. The innovative ball track built into the base gives you acoustic feedback about every movement you make.
Steelcase B-Free
From the eponymous product line, the B-Free by Steelcase is characterized by its square shape. B-Free is a set of products (seats, stools, workstations, etc.) designed according to 2 main ideas: adaptability (you build your workspace by assembling the different components) and incentive to change posture. Major difference compared to the 2 other models: it is adjustable in height (in certain aspects it could recall a bar stool). Like the Ongo, it is available in bright colors to add a touch of design in your office. It can be used for formal or informal work: to sit on or to put your feet up, to talk at a colleague’s desk or relax.
The Smart Backapp
The latest product on the test bench, The Backapp Smart is a horse saddle stool. The front is slightly raised, in order to stabilize the posture. A type of chair suitable for people who move a lot and work with outstretched arms, such as healthcare practitioners. Equipped with a footrest padded with a soft cushioning material, it allows to work the muscles supporting the spine. Available in bright colors but also sober, which gives it in this aspect a slight advance over its competitors. The new frame is made from 99.9% recycled die-cast aluminum
First conclusion on the release of this test bench: ergonomic stool remains a rather high-end market. This gives us models with studied design, almost as much as performance in terms of well-being for end user. And bright colors, which shows a certain trend in interior design. The 1950s white-and-black office (we think of the Mad Men series) doesn’t look like it’s coming back anytime soon.