How to set up and sit on a kneeling chair

What a kneeling chair is

A kneeling chair has a seat tilted forward and one or two padded rests for your shins below it. Your hips sit higher than your knees, and your shins take some of your weight. Frames are usually wooden or metal, either an X-shaped base with castors or a curved rocker. Most have no backrest or arms, though some designs add a small back support.

Adjustment varies. Many have seat height adjustment, some let you change the seat angle, and some let you move the shin pads closer to or further from the seat. Check the instructions for your model.

Getting on and off

Take care on rocker designs, which move as you shift your weight, and on castored models, which can roll away as you sit. Hold the desk edge if needed.

1. 1

   Stand in front of the chair with the seat behind you.

2. 2

   Lower yourself onto the seat first, as you would on a stool.

3. 3

   Slide your feet back and rest your shins on the pads one leg at a time.

4. 4

   Settle so most of your weight is on the seat, with shins resting rather than pressing.

5. 5

   To get off, lift your shins forward off the pads, place your feet on the floor and stand up from the seat.

Note:Do not kneel on the pads with your full weight or climb onto the chair knees first. If the chair has castors, make sure it cannot roll away as you sit down.

Setting the seat and shin pads

Seat height comes first. Adjust it so that, when seated with shins on the pads, your forearms are roughly horizontal at the keyboard, as the HSE display screen equipment guidance suggests for any chair. If the chair cannot go high enough for your desk, a lower desk or a sit-stand desk set lower may be needed.

Next, the shin pads. Your knees should sit just over the front edge of the pads, with the shins resting along them. If your knees press on the pad edge, move the pads or yourself slightly. If the seat angle adjusts, start with a gentle tilt and increase only if it feels comfortable; a steep tilt pushes more weight forward onto the shins.

Desk height and screen

A kneeling chair often sits you slightly higher than a normal chair, so your desk may need to be higher too. A sit-stand desk makes this easy; save a separate preset for kneeling. Our desk height fit tool helps you find the right figure from your elbow height. Raise the screen if you find yourself looking down, so the top is at or slightly below eye level.

See sit-stand desks with presets →

Fitting it into your day

Most people use a kneeling chair for part of the day and a conventional task chair or standing for the rest. Makers commonly suggest starting with short periods and building up. Changing position regularly fits with the HSE's advice to break up long spells of screen work. Because most kneeling chairs have no back, they suit focused tasks more than leaning back for calls. Our kneeling chair vs office chair comparison covers how the two work together, and our ergonomic chair guide lists task chairs for the rest of the day.

See ergonomic task chairs →

Frequently asked questions

How do I sit in a kneeling chair? Sit on the seat first, then rest your shins on the pads, keeping most of your weight on the seat.

How long should I use a kneeling chair? Start with short spells and switch to another seat or standing through the day. Follow the maker's guidance.

Should my knees hurt? No. If you feel pressure on your knees or shins, adjust the pads, reduce the seat angle or take a break.

What is a kneeling chair for? It offers a different sitting angle, with hips higher than knees, as an alternative to a conventional chair for part of the day.