Saddle Seat Applications

Musculoskeletal disorders are common among drummers, pianists, string players, and others. Playing a musical instrument demands high precision with the hands. In conventional seating, the body’s center of gravity is behind the pelvis, which forces the spine to round and the arms to reach excessively forward to play the instrument. This strains the neck, back, and shoulders.  The saddle seat moves the body’s center of gravity forward, thus allowing closer access to the instrument, reducing postural strain and providing greater freedom of movement to the arms and legs.

For players of wind instruments, full lung expansion is essential. In conventional seating, the diaphragm has limited excursion and the internal organs are compressed into the thoracic cavity, thus limiting the amount of air the lungs can hold. Breath control suffers. The open hip angle achieved in a riding-style posture, allows greater excursion of the diaphragm, thus improving lung expansion and breath control.

Saddle seats are especially advantageous for players of large instruments, such as bassists, cellists, drummers, and pianists.  A riding-style posture allows the body to easily bend forward from the hips, naturally preserving healthy spinal alignment, thus expanding the musician’s safe reach zone and allowing closer access to the instrument.