# Assessment of the Effect of Four Kneeling Chair Angle Combinations on Muscle Activity and Perceived Discomfort

## TL;DR

This study compares kneeling chair angles to traditional sitting, finding that certain kneeling positions reduce back muscle activity and discomfort.

## Contribution

The study introduces a novel analysis of four specific kneeling chair angle combinations and their effects on muscle activity and discomfort.

## Key findings

- Kneeling configurations reduced lumbar erector spinae muscle activity compared to traditional sitting.
- One specific angle combination was identified as optimal for minimizing discomfort and muscle activity.
- Findings suggest kneeling chairs can be designed to improve posture and comfort.

## Abstract

The kneeling chair has an advantage over the traditional chair in that it promotes lumbar lordosis, while findings regarding muscle activity and subjective (dis)comfort evaluation between the two are inconsistent. Furthermore, there is a lack of studies focusing on the angle combinations of the kneeling chair. This study investigated an unsupported traditional sitting configuration and four unsupported kneeling configurations with different angle combinations through measurements of surface electromyography (EMG) signals, body part discomfort (BPD) scores, and seat configuration evaluation scores. A significant decrease in lumbar erector spinae (LES) muscle activity and perceived discomfort was observed in the kneeling configuration compared with the results for the traditional sitting configuration. Among the four angle combinations, the optimal arrangement was identified, which resulted in significantly less LES muscle activity and perceived discomfort. Our findings provide guidance for the design and future studies of the kneeling chair.