Chairs and desks for children and youngsters

Growing youngsters have a vital urge to move.

Most conventional chairs and desks have no height adjustment, particularly in schools. Frequently the chairs have a rigid seat area which leads to static sitting with subsequent sagging of the upper body ("C-posture"). Combined with a straight desk surface without any slant, this can result in unfavourable postures with complex consequences for the health.

The bodies of growing youngsters are particularly prone to inappropriate stresses so that it is particularly important for high quality standards to be heeded here. Chairs and desks must take due account of the changes in body proportions as the children grow and mature. On the other hand, they must also comply with the living demands of complex developing functions. Living, interacting physical, mental and psychic functions depend on regular exercise and regular changes in posture during the years of growth, also when sitting. Chairs have to fulfil special properties for such "active sitting" so as to constantly and effectively support the natural posture changes according to specific activities, rather than imposing constricting restraints.

The human body is created for movement (change in posture) to keep body and mind active.

This is illustrated by the natural "sitting unrest" that can so often be observed in children. When children fidget around on the chairs or tilt them back and forwards, in most cases this is simply a sign of a healthy and spontaneous urge to move, even if adults usually misunderstand this and frequently label such children as being hyperactive. But this is the intuitive way that youngsters fulfil their physical needs to give sufficient support to their complex development processes. Such "active sitting" (variable, subconscious change in sitting positions) ensures that the interacting vital physical, mental and psychic functions of the human body unfold spontaneously and are not suppressed. The sitting behaviour of children can teach us about the necessary attributes of ergonomic seats and chairs that are designed not just according to body size but also according to the living functions of the human body. We need seats and chairs that are made for moving and not for sitting still!

These are exactly the demands made of seats and chairs for use in school and leisure.

Chair and table must allow a sufficient, easily useable and wear-free height adjustment for all body heights. This can take place through an adjustment in steps or even better infinitely variable. Alternatively active chairs for children should be available in different seat heights, from which the matching chair can be selected.

The chair must have dynamic attributes that provide continuous, effective support for the natural posture changes according to specific activities, rather than imposing constricting restraints. This means that the sitting functions also autonomously support the necessary sitting angle for different tasks. A free-flowing seat area is the focal component. The living organism is in a relationship to the chair. The chair and the spontaneously self-organised behavioural demands of the user constitute a system.

Various technical solutions are available for practical (seated) use, such as the skid frame (Moizi chair) or special sitting mechanisms (VS chair, moll chair, Aeris-Swoppster) which support the various sitting variations and sitting needs:

• Active sitting in the front (working) position
• Passive sitting to relieve the spine in the rear (resting) position
• Flowing adjustment to the natural, intuitive posture changes of the body

Chair and desk as a unit

Physiological sitting posture is only possible if desk and chair form a unit.

To permit physiological posture of the head, the table must have a smoothly functioning tilt at an angle of at least 16°, together with a special device to prevent items from sliding off the surface.

To encourage repeated posture changes, it is also advisable to encourage a regular change between sitting and standing. This should be taken into account for furniture used both in school and in leisure.

For the completion of school work or even for painting, the desk must offer sufficient space. To ensure this, an area of approximately 90 x 60 cm (width times depth) should be available. If a PC is already in use, then the recommendation is to use a monitor with its own height adjustment, or to ensure that a separate adjustable monitor mount can be attached. This makes it easier to individually adjust the workstation and ensures a back-friendly working posture.

Health, wellbeing, alertness and concentration: ergonomic conditions and concepts are crucial.

The growing organism is characterised by complex development processes, shaped by the whole living environment, including school and leisure furniture. The demand for ergonomic furniture for children and youngsters may no longer be restricted to allowing for changes in body size. Life means movement. And this movement must be made possible even during longer sitting periods through natural, variable posture changes of which the user is unaware - this is active sitting.

Source: Dr. Dieter Breithecker, President of the Federal Consortium for Posture and Exercise e.V., Wiesbaden

Tip

At home, sit at your desk without street shoes if possible, but rather in flat, breathable shoes or barefoot. The directly palpable pressure on the soles of your feet provides better feedback about your physiological state to your brain. Planting your feet fully on the ground improves body awareness and thus posture.

The individual adjustment of chair and table takes place in two steps.

1. First, the chair is adjusted

The chair height should be selected so that the front edge of the seat is approximately level with the lower kneecap when standing. When seated, the angle between thigh and torso is slightly open: > 90°. The hip joint is above the knee joint, and both feet have full contact with the floor. When fully utilizing the seat depth, the front edge of the seat should not press against the lower leg. About two to three fingers should be able to fill the space between the front edge of the seat and the lower leg. The backrest height should provide support at least below the shoulder blades.

2. Only then can the table height be adjusted

Sitting upright, facing the table, your arms hang loosely at your sides. Your feet are fully planted. Your elbows are now bent at 90°. Your index fingers are extended horizontally and rest on the tabletop or, if using a laptop, on the keyboard. Your shoulders are relaxed, not hunched.

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