New desks and chairs for the "seating too much" era 2

The quality of movement in everyday life

──The following passage appears in a book co-authored by Professor Muraki, "You've got to be kidding me! Barrier-Free: Opening up the path to an era where no nursing care is needed" (Koyo Shobo).

Excerpted from "You're kidding me!? Barrier-free: Open the way to an age where no nursing care is needed" (Koyo Shobo) Muraki: We surveyed people who do not currently require nursing care or home renovations and investigated the home environment, such as the installation of handrails, and found that this resulted in a difference of 9.7 years in their physical fitness age.

For example, in homes with wide hallways and ample space for the toilet, people can move around freely and movement itself is not a burden. If you are healthy, you can go to the toilet by yourself. The results showed that people who live in homes where they have more opportunities to walk and move their bodies in their daily lives have a younger physical fitness age.

--You can see the importance of changing the way homes are constructed and the home's facilities.

Muraki: But handrails are a tricky issue. Of course, people with weak legs should use them for safety. On the other hand, people who don't need them will have no problem relying on handrails, but they will reduce muscle activity in their lower legs. Going up and down stairs is a major part of everyday life that involves the use of the lower legs, so if that is no longer an option, I think it could lead to a decline in physical fitness age.

Menshor: That's a unique point. You could call it "poverty of movement." If you rely on handrails, armrests, or backrests, you lose the muscle strength that humans naturally have to maintain balance.

Balance is achieved by creating your own movements without relying on assistance or support. Balance and movement are always linked, so I think that incorporating a product like the Active Board into your work scene is effective in preventing the weakening of the muscles that maintain balance.

--It would also be great to use it on height-adjustable work desks, the kind of thing you're seeing more and more of in offices these days.

Muraki: We may see a shift away from the conventional wisdom of "sitting still while working" to a more "acceptance of the idea of ​​standing while working," and we may see more widespread adoption of desks that can be raised and lowered, and chairs that stimulate the body.

Menshor: In my hometown, Norway, more than 90% of people use desks that can be raised and lowered while working. The idea of ​​combining "standing" and "sitting" to prevent sitting too much is spreading throughout the country. People are beginning to realize that the traditional relationship between desks and chairs is not conducive to maintaining health.

-- Recently, there has been a lot of talk about "work style reform," and there is a demand for both improved productivity and employee satisfaction. In this situation, what should chairs and desks be like in the workplace? Perhaps it's time to reconsider what makes a better chair and desk for workers.

Muraki: I think a chair has two roles. One is to rest. For example, you sit down when you get tired after walking. The other is to assist with work. A chair is a way to make it easier to use your upper body so that you can type, write, or perform other detailed tasks that require your hands and fingertips with precision.

Menshor: It's true that if you want to rest, leaning back and putting as little strain on your legs as possible might help you. But that's not the case when it comes to working.

Muraki: That's right. People who play musical instruments or do drafting don't need a backrest, and it's also good to keep your lower body on the ground to maintain stability. If you raise the seat and make the angle between your thighs and stomach 110-120 degrees, your torso will naturally stand up straight. If your feet are on the ground, you will feel more stable and the strain on your lower back will be reduced.