Back problems? "Stand-Sit" workshop stool

[AES]

This Q has been asked before on here, I know, but as a back ache sufferer myself I had this delivered a couple of weeks back, and someone may be interested:

My wife bought it for me from Amazon.de (Germany - we live in Switzerland) and it cost 175 Swiss Francs, delivered. Before we worry about exchange rates I should just say that from what we could see from their on line catalogue, precisely the same stool cost 335 Swiss from our "local" purveyor of aids for disabled, etc people. Another similar-looking version, but with a gas strut(s?) cost well over 500 Swiss. See further price comment below.

Sorry the above pic is a bit grotty (the paper got a bit graunched in transit), but I think you see the general idea.

The height is adjustable in 35mm steps (spring-loaded pins into holes) from 600 to 850mm. The seat itself swivels from side to side (spring-loaded to return to central as soon as you lift your back side), and the seat cushion is adjustable to 4 different angles. The base is set at a wide angle and has 4 large non-slip PVC-type feet. And the design is such that when sitting, your whole weight is centred over the base area with (so far!) no chance of slipping or loosing your balance.

The idea is that you adjust the height to suit yourself so that you're "sort of leaning" against it, but with your back side being firmly on the (non-slip) seat. I have 2 different bench heights and although the adjustment mechanism itself is a bit clunky, once you've got the pins firmly located within the required holes, it's very safe indeed.

I've tried to use it while doing some filing, and although it doesn't work for the actual filing strokes (I needed to stand, as usual) as soon as it's necessary to check a dimension, or if you just need a rest, with the stool set up just behind you it's easy to "sink backwards" slightly until you're resting pretty much full weight on the seat, so relieving the majority of any back ache straight away.

I tried a similar procedure as the above when planing a piece of wood (Stanley No. 4) and again, you can't sit on it while actually planing (well I couldn't anyway), but with the stool set up as above, it's easy to relieve back pain by just relaxing backwards onto the seat.

As both my scroll saw and my metal working lathe are set up for sitting already (I use an old adjustable height typists' chair - no arms), I haven't tried this stool for that work.

The base area of the stool is perhaps a bit big (need to be careful not to trap an electrics leads under it for example), and there are - of course - no castors - wouldn't be safe. So at roughly 10 Kg it's not exactly a delight to move around in the shop. And with the seat set at the highest couple of positions, the back rest is, perhaps, a bit low in relation to the seat (I MAY think about raising the back rest a bit - it looks pretty easy to do).

But apart from those notes, I'm very pleased with the stool overall, especially the price in comparison with the specialist "disabled people's" suppliers locally.

If you feel you might need such a support in your shop, highly recommended.

Before posting this I did a quick search on Amazon UK and found the below. It looks exactly the same, and costs £140.94, which with present exchange rates, compares very well with the 175 Swiss price my wife paid.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/hjh-OFFICE-sta ... c-tiltable

HTH someone. Back ache is no fun at all, and IMO, anything that can keep you in the shop is well worth a punt!

Edit for P.S.
After posting the above I just tried the link for a test. Didn't work for some reason. So here's the pic from the link (which DID work again, as soon as I left this site. Funny):

I never was very bright with PCs & stuff, so I don't know what's going on with the above link, sorry. But the above IS there on Amazon UK. And BTW, there are other broadly similar types there, including mono-strut types, at various prices. So if you are a sufferer you may find something that helps. AND NO! I am NOT an "Amazon seller" or whatever they're called either!

 

[thetyreman]

if money was no object I'd get this chair: https://www.johnlewis.com/herman-miller ... m/p3177272

my back issues have changed the way I think about posture and how important seating is, when I think about how long I spend sat down.

I will look into buying that stool it sounds good.

 

[AES]

Thanks thetyreman. Of course the problem with all buying on line is that you can't try before you buy. What seems to work well for me will not necessarily work well for you! As the surgeon once said to me "all back problems are the same but at the same time, each one is completely different". Sounds daft, but I think sufferers will know exactly what he means.

BTW I have to "adjust" the above OP re price. After making this post I told my wife about it and she told me that some days after the stool arrived, she got a further bill from the courier/customs. Total to pay for the stool was therefore another 30 swiss, i.e. 205 Swiss. But at least still a cheaper alternative to us buying the (apparently) same thing from our local "old people's" supplier.

And as I was doing the original Amazon UK search above for this stool, (from a Swiss URL of course) I am NOT certain if the UK£ I quoted above was delivery inclusive or exclusive, sorry.

But anyway, all this may help someone.

And I should also add to the above description of the stools usage that I also did a bit of soldering while fully sitting on the thing. With the necessary height adjustment (trial and error) that worked out fine.

Cheers

Edit for P.S. Re that 1500 quid Miller chair you linked to the tyreman. When still working my wife had a lot to do with outfitting new offices, including office & lab chairs. She told me that Miller are well known for "high prices". But anyway, as it's got both castors and arms, personally I'm far from convinced that it would be either suitable or safe for a lot of workshop jobs. But again "your mileage may vary".

 

[MikeJhn]

Lots of plans for this type of support/chair on Astronomical sites, this type of chair is used for star gazing, turning the telescope to different angles to look above the horizon needs different heights of seating.

 

[Woodchips2]

When I worked in an office I resorted to using a kneeler stool like this one https://www.officefurnitureonline.co.uk ... w-EALw_wcB. I found it suited my back and slipped discs became a lot less frequent.

Regards Keith

 

[JoshD]

I found you can buy synchronised electric legs, such as those demonstrated here . Thinking that might be the way to go---would love to know if anyone has experience of this sort of thing, eg, wobble/play ....

 

[Just4Fun]

I found you can buy synchronised electric legs

I would be happy with a pair of synchronised natural legs.

 

[novocaine]

As someone who hasn't had back problems catch up to him yet from earlier life (slipped a disc at 14, expect it to haunt me soon), I'm reading this with interest. I remember a similar stool when working in Denmark where sit/stand desks are the law, but the ones the posh office had were fitted with similar pneumatic lift as normal office chairs so you could raise and lower then easily.

 

[D_W]

if money was no object I'd get this chair: https://www.johnlewis.com/herman-miller ... m/p3177272

my back issues have changed the way I think about posture and how important seating is, when I think about how long I spend sat down.

I will look into buying that stool it sounds good.

Good lord!! those are about $900 here, but I spent 8 years at my first job sitting in one. You sit down in them for lack of a better way to put it and it probably wouldn't be any good for the workshop, and we had a few that the frames broke on (if you're in an office, you just send them back to the commercial furniture servicer). But I've never sat in a more comfortable chair that's not reclined and intended for sleeping.

 

[D_W]

(from my recollection, I think the webbing - which is a plastic mesh as I recall - would also probably not tolerate solvents, cutting, etc).

It's a shame they're marked up so much there - someone must be paying for distribution rights. That's terrible.

 

[hlvd]

Why don't you raise your bench and stand as working from a sitting position's extremely awkward and not very good for your body.

 

[thetyreman]

my back issues are a lot better thesedays, been doing excercises from the physio on building my core which really helps, I ended up getting a herman miller mirra chair but not for the workshop, for my home office/studio where I do a lot of sitting down, I have found it helps a lot, bought it second hand for a good price on ebay.

 

[TRITON]

I found you can buy synchronised electric legs, such as those demonstrated here . Thinking that might be the way to go---would love to know if anyone has experience of this sort of thing, eg, wobble/play ....

I've seen these on yachts for the saloon table so it can go down to turn the dining area into another double berth

 

[Steliz]

Thanks for the right up AES, that stool looks like exactly what I need. I've had a look for it on Amazon.de (I live in Hungary) but I can't find it. Can you tell me any more details to help me find it please.

 

[AES]

@Steliz: OK, I'll try, but my good lady bought it for me as a present, so she's (probably/possibly still got the paper work - maybe!). She's watching something avidly on TV right now so I'll ask her later and come back to you on it - maybe tonight, more likely tomorrow. In the meantime have you searched Amazon.co.uk (GB)?

 

[Steliz]

It's OK, I've found it now, thanks anyway.

 

[AES]

It's OK, I've found it now, thanks anyway.

OK, good. I hope it works for you.

 

[Adam W.]

I've got a Trip-Trap high chair, which was left over from when the kiddies were small. It works well for a workshop stool if you take off the bar and footrest.

 

[Krome10]

I think there are definitely some good rivals to Herman Miller when it comes to office chairs. Seems HM are the "go to" and perhaps price accordingly? I use a Knoll Generation, which I love. Other brands worth looking at (again, for office chairs, so a little off topic) are Steelcase and Humanscale. I've never owned a HM so can't compare, but when I've tried one in the past I wasn't automatically drawn to it and also not overly impressed by the robustness.

I remember reading that an alternative to kneeling chairs is one of those exercise ball things. Never tried that myself but could certainly see the sense in it as it relies on your core to keep you stable. Again, a bit OT as not so applicable to the workshop.

The one thing I really can vouch for - and that applies to everything back related - is yoga!

 

[Fergie 307]

Why don't you raise your bench and stand as working from a sitting position's extremely awkward and not very good for your body.

I found my back problems were massively reduced by just getting a decent quality yoga mat to stand on, instead of the concrete floor. If I know I'm in for a long session on the lathe I also sometimes wear a weightlifting belt. Looks a bit daft I'm sure, but it does make a big difference. The one I have has a large pad that fits the small of your back, gives great support and actually quite comfortable.