Saddle sitting expands lung capacity, thus increasing energy and reducing fatigue.

Use of a saddle chair improves oxygen exchange in the lungs. In a riding-style posture, the diaphragm has greater excursion and there is greater mobility in the rib cage, allowing the lungs to expand more fully. Breathing becomes easier and deeper, thus increasing energy and reducing fatigue. This, combined with reduced muscle tension and improved posture, allows the entire breathing mechanism to work more efficiently.

Our modern sedentary lifestyle is hostile to lymph circulation.

Poorly designed furniture, slouched sitting, tight clothing, and physical inactivity can disturb lymph flow, leading to health problems and discomfort.

The lymphatic system is a network of tissues and organs that help rid the body of toxins, waste and other unwanted materials. The primary function of the lymphatic system is to transport lymph, a clear fluid containing infection-fighting white blood cells, throughout the body. The lymphatic system consists of  400 – 500 km of vessels, 7 km per each kg of soft tissue. The vessels are connected to 600-700 lymph nodes where the lymph is filtered. The tonsils, adenoids, spleen and thymus are all part of the lymphatic system. Lymph fluids are circulated as a result of the motions and activity of the muscles and soft tissues.

A two-part saddle chair with a center gap in the seat, can activate circulation and facilitate lymphatic flow by reducing pressures typically produced by conventional office chairs. With properly design saddle seating, pressures are relieved in the thighs, buttocks, genital area, lower back and lower limbs. Blood circulation speeds in the common areas of muscle tension, such as the upper back. The riding-style posture widens the angles of the limbs and activate muscle function, reducing tensions further. Hip and knee angles become wider, making it easier to use the legs and enabling the so called “muscle pump” to eliminate swelling int he feet. Sitting bones carry most of the body weight, which in turn eases the pressure on the thighs and buttocks. For example, the Gluteus Maximus muscle remains safely outside the pressure area.

A smart sitter will also wear loose trousers or a skirt, and underwear that is not too tight. Even a tight belt can disturb the lymph flow.

Digestion and intestinal health is weakened by too little muscle activity.

With improved upper body posture in a saddle seat, pressures on the stomach, small intestine and colon decreases and the stomach is no longer pressed between the pelvis and the chest. Core muscle activity increases, which also facilitates intestinal activity. All this has a positive effect on bowel movement (peristalsis and its efficiency) and intestinal health.

chairs with a solid, one-part seat (traditional chairs and saddle stools) also press on the the anus and rectum, slowing down or postponing the evacuation reflex. Slowed intestinal activity or keeps food in the body for long periods, and is a common problem with intestinal illnesses suffered by a large segment of the population.

Sitting riding-style with good posture is be a strong preventive measure.

Awkward wrist postures, repetitive hand movements and muscle tension, together with neck and shoulder conditions, are commonly associated with hand pain and mousing syndromes.

Saddle-sitting increases safe reach distances and optimizes arm/hand position for work, thus relieving many painful conditions in the upper limb.

Shoulder joint problems are common in professions where the reach angle between the upper body and the upper arm is more than 30 degrees, for example, in dentistry. When sitting riding-style in a saddle chair, the body is positioned closer to the work, so the arms do not need to reach as far. The reach angle is reduced, and shoulder problems subside.

Sitting on a conventional chair with a 90° angle at the hips inevitably makes people slouch.

When sitting on a saddle chair the thighs point downwards at an approximately 45° angle, which tilts the pelvis forward and straightens the spine, just as if you were standing. Thus we achieve a healthy back posture automatically. The lumbar vertebrae are in their natural position and the lower back assumes an ideal lordotic curve.

This position of the lumbar vertebrae reduces the risk of damage to the lower back and in most cases quickly decreases pain in typical lower back and disk problems. In addition, the circulation in the lower back is improved, since the improved posture relieves muscle tension and activates the core muscles. The increased circulation, in turn, increases the oxygen and nutrient supply to the muscles, the absence of which can lead to tissue damage over time. Since the intervertebral disks and ligaments have no blood circulation of their own, the spinal tissues rely on the pumping action from motion and muscular activity to move fluids to supply nutrients and oxygen and remove waste . In a physically active back in a good posture, this metabolic exchange works well.

Sitting in a good posture on a saddle chair makes it possible to use the whole body in an effortless and natural way, giving the muscles of the lower back exercise-like movement. The upper body moves when the chair is rolled from one place to another or reaching movements are made. Salli calls this activity “Roll and Reach.” Correct use of the back muscles leads to a gradual improvement in posture and prevents ailments caused by poor posture and inactivity. The “swing” mechanism option in a Salli Saddle Chair makes it considerably easier to reach for things, and further improves circulation of blood and lymph and muscle activation in the lower back and pelvic area.

When sitting upright on a saddle chair, sciatic nerve pain often becomes less frequent as the deterioration of the lower back slows, as pressures and inflammation subside as a result of the postural change and muscular activity. Scoliosis is also reduced, as the straddle posture improves spinal symmetry and stability.

Roughly 50 % of the adult male population in Europe suffers from some kind of physical sexual disorder at least periodically, and the numbers are rapidly rising.

We sit on top of our private parts, and that is why it’s logical that sitting has a major impact on the circulation, nerve function and metabolism of our genitalia.

Men have a tendency to sit with their pelvis tilted backwards. This is an unconscious way of relieving pressure on the root of penis on the pubic bone, where the nerves and the vessels leading to the genitals are located. When using a two-part saddle chair the lower part of the penis (of which about 9 cm is on top of the pubic bone, below the pelvis, behind the testicles) is not subjected to the same kind of pressure as when using seats without an open gap in the center. The harmful compression of the pudendal nerve and vessels can be eliminated almost completely in a 2-part saddle seat. Men also keep their thighs spread in order to eliminate the feeling of pressure on their testicles when sitting, as trousers and their middle seam tightens up when they sit. Tight clothes keep the testicles too close to a warm body. Sperm production is sensitive to higher testicular temperatures. A two-part saddle chair cools the testicles to their optimum temperature of 33°C (approx. 91°F). In conventional seating the temperature of the testicles can often rise to 37°C (approx. 99°F), which has been shown to reduce sperm quality.

In women, tight clothing and prolonged sitting with reduced circulation, combined with the use of panty liners and sanitary pads, increases the risk of infections in women’s genitalia. Sitting on a two-part saddle chair decreases this risk. Most women find an inadequate gap, or a saddle chair without a gap, uncomfortable around the pubic bone area because nerves and blood vessels get pressed between the seat and the pubic bone. This kind of pressure leads to reduced circulation, which is a health risk in itself.

A gap in the chair makes it easier for both men and women to tilt their pelvis forward without the uncomfortable pressure against the pubic bone and the genitals. This helps to keep lumbar posture in the natural lordosis, which is the ideal alignment of the spine. The two-part saddle chair eases the pressure on the genitals and preserves a safe angle between the thighs and the upper body.

In studies of cyclists, pressure on the tissues next to the pubic bone is associated with impotence and testicular cancer in men, and with sensory changes in women. The developers of the Salli Saddle Chair, believe that the same phenomena can occur in users of one-part saddle seats.

Female pelvic problems may be associated with conventional sitting

Problems may appear both within and outside the pelvic area. Sitting pressure blocks pressure-sensitive micro and macro circulation in the blood and lymph vessels, and also in the lymph nodes. Sitting pressures can affect all the pelvic organs, including the ovaries, uterus, vagina, rectum, urethra, and bladder. These organs are just a few centimetres under the skin, in the pelvic floor. Sitting pressure can also irritate the tissues of the vulva.

1. Circulation disturbances inside the pelvic area (varicose veins, etc.). Chair padding creates pressure inside the pelvic area by pushing soft tissues (skin, fat, muscles, and connective tissue) into the area between the sitting bones. The pressure spreads inside and can affect all the internal pelvic organs.
2. Cancer. 24 % of all women’s cancers, and 49 % of men’s cancers, occur in the pelvic area within a space the capacity of which is just over one litre. Poor circulation and pressure can disturb metabolism, starve the tissues of nutrients, and prevent the elimination of waster. This is thought to be a cancer risk.
3. Inflammations in the vagina, bladder and urethra. Chair padding increases temperature and humidity in the vulva area, which may help pathogens to grow. Poor circulation may restrict access of white cells and other immune defenders to the area to destroy the pathogens that have slipped in through the skin.
4. Problems with pelvic floor muscles and the rectum. When sitting on traditional chairs, we sit in a poor posture most of the time. The weight of the upper body increases pressure in the abdominal cavity, which, in turn, is a risk factor for the female genital organ prolapse. Sitting pressure against the chair padding may disturb the normal function of the rectum because the pelvic floor tissues, including the anus, are pushed up and the rectum remains in the pressure field. Pelvic floor muscles are activated when sitting on a saddle chair. EMG studies show that reaching down (to a low shelf, printer etc.) from a two-part saddle chair, over the supporting leg, is an effective exercise for the pelvic floor muscles. It is beneficial to make use of this phenomenon.
5. Pudendal nerve and vessel dysfunctions. These problems are most common among women who sit a lot on a bicycle, horse saddle, and perhaps also on a one-part saddle chair. The situation is worse when the work requires leaning forward, as in dentistry and laboratory work. In such conditions changes in the circulatory system may be expected, and the sensitivity of the nerves is reported to have weakened.

How to avoid sitting disorders in the female pelvic area

The main thing is to ensure, as much as possible, good circulation. It is also important to restore good ventilation and metabolic activity.

1. Use a two-part active saddle chair. The gap in the seat eliminates the pressure from the pelvic floor and vulva, and also most of the pressure from inside the pelvic area. The gap itself restores better ventilation to the area, which means lower temperature and dryer skin. The swing seat-mechanism option automatically increases activity in the pelvis and lower back, which in turn activates circulation. Saddle sitting (with the important gap where the pubic bone can go) helps one to maintain good posture. This decreases the pressure in the abdominal cavity and thus also the pressure on the pelvic organs from above. Good posture and the seat gap also help the rectum to function normally, decrease its diameter and thus decrease the pressure of the rectum against the uterus and vagina.
2. Loose and cool clothes that don’t cause pressure in the pelvic area. Loose clothing helps the circulation to function normally. Tights and underwear that leave red marks on the skin are not good. Belts and tight waistbands may also be armful Trousers with center seam digging deep into the labia is bad for circulation. When you select clothes for sitting, test them in sitting position. Be sensitive and careful that they do not create pressures in your typical sitting position.
3. Physical activity. It´s very smart to have breaks during your sitting sessions; for example, when talking on the phone you can walk around with a bluetooth headset or go up and down stairs. You, or rather your smart employer, should also keep some real exercise equipment (gym sticks, flexi bars, hand weights, kettle bells, stretching carpets, step boards, etc.) available. During calls or informal meetings you can do a so called “slow workout”. After a few minutes your circulation is increased for a long time but you won’t get sweaty or breathless. This eliminates the “shutdown” of your body and brain caused by decreased circulation.
4. Ergonomic adjustments to your work place. It’s ergonomically beneficial to adjust your chair, e-table and monitors, use elbow supports, adjust the distance of the monitors and the size of text font to be as optimum as possible, and adjust the table according to whether you are typing or reading. Such advanced awareness and activity in ergonomics surely brings relaxation to the whole upper body that also reflects positively to the pelvic area as well. There are lots of risks but also many ways to avoid them. By improving your pelvic health environment you also improve the whole sitting health. It only requires some awareness and activity to put the preventing measures in action.

Sitting is a risk factor for hip arthritis and osteoporosis.

When using a conventional chair, there is a 90-degree angle between the thighs and the upper body, as well as in the knees. This sharp angle tightens tendons and ligaments in the hip and knee, which in turn increases pressure on the joint cartilage and impacts metabolism within the joints. In traditional sitting, the weight of the upper body further increases pressure on the hip joint upper cartilage.

In a saddle chair, the hips and the knees are in a 135-degree angle, which decreases the pressure on the cartilage. This improves the metabolism and reduces the risk of joint ailments. Being higher than the average office chair, the saddle chair is also easier on the knees when standing up from a sitting position.

There is about 4 litres of blood in the human body, and about 3–4 times that much lymphatic liquid that collects the wastes and pathogens from the body and transfers them to the blood vessels in the 600–700 lymph nodes of the body. Arterial circulation accounts for only 25% of the blood, about one litre.

All other liquids are in the low pressure systems which are easily disturbed by immobility, conventional sitting with its large pressure areas in thighs and pelvic area, tense back and shoulder muscles, and pressure in the stomach due to slouching and tight clothing. Sitting on a two-part saddle chair, and especially on an active seat, and wearing loose clothes can help to keep circulation and metabolism on a much healthier level.