FAQ balans Synergy Frequently Asked Questions
The questions we are most frequently asked by customers are listed below.
If you have any other questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us.
【How to assemble balans Synergy - video】
【How to sit on balans Synergy - video】
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The balans Synergy is a chair that is designed to be used in a sitting position called “balans sitting”, in which the angle between the thighs and stomach is approximately 120 degrees. In this sitting position, for example, if a person who is 175 cm tall uses a standard office desk that is 72 cm high, the desk will feel low, so we recommend that you use a higher desk. For reference, the comfortable desk height and the height of each staff member when using balans Synergy are as follows.
*The above results are for when you are wearing shoes in the office, so if you are using it at home, please refer to the above table by subtracting the height of your shoes (2-3cm).
If you set the height of your desk using the above as a reference, you should be able to achieve a good balance between the balans Synergy and the desk, and use it more comfortably through a synergistic effect.
Unfortunately, however, in Japanese offices, desks that are fixed at 70cm or 72cm are still the norm. This is the height of the desk based on the conventional 90-degree sitting chair, and I hope that in the future, desks with variable height tops, such as motorized height-adjustable desks, will be introduced in all offices.
If your desk is too low, you can also use tools such as shoes for the desk legs or height-adjustable tables that can be placed on the desk, which are sold by other companies. ... If you do a search for “desk height adjustment” you will find various methods. The combination of the Waveon electric height-adjustable desk, which our company developed in collaboration with Kyushu University's graduate school, and the balans Synergy chair is one of the most comfortable office work combinations in the world, as far as our company, which has researched chairs and desks, is concerned. For more information about the Waveon electric height-adjustable desk, please see the following.
・Waveon product page
・Waveon product page
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The surface area of a round seat is smaller than that of a square seat, and it only supports the buttocks. The seat area of a square seat is larger than that of a round seat, so it can support the whole of your bottom (or the whole of your bottom and thighs if you have a small bottom), and it is also easier to distribute your weight. We recommend a round seat for: people who prefer to sit shallowly, people with small bottoms. We recommend a square seat for: people who want a sense of stability, people with large bottoms.
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The seat of the balans Synergy is a saddle-shaped three-dimensional structure designed to fit the shape of the buttocks, so it has a front and back. The correct way to sit is to sit so that the tag on the seat is on the left back.
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It is used by rocking it back and forth to a comfortable degree (clinical trials have been conducted on the rocking motion in the back and forth direction, and it has been proven to be effective in reducing lower back pain, maintaining correct posture, reducing fatigue, and providing a high level of user satisfaction).
You can rock it on purpose, or you can use it without being particularly aware of it, just rocking it in response to your body's movements. You can also stop it when you are concentrating.
The speed and frequency of the comfortable rocking will depend on the user's preferences and the work being done (reading, PC work, eating, etc.), so please sit in a way that suits you.
You can rock it on purpose, or you can use it without being particularly aware of it, just rocking it in response to your body's movements. You can also stop it when you are concentrating.
The speed and frequency of the comfortable rocking will depend on the user's preferences and the work being done (reading, PC work, eating, etc.), so please sit in a way that suits you.
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It is possible to rock left and right if you sit on the seat and rotate it 90 degrees.
However, although there is no problem with using it in this way temporarily, please do not use it for long periods of time in the position where the seat has been rotated. This may cause problems due to rapid wear of the internal parts of the support.
However, although there is no problem with using it in this way temporarily, please do not use it for long periods of time in the position where the seat has been rotated. This may cause problems due to rapid wear of the internal parts of the support.
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The inventor, Hans Christian Mengshoel, believes that “when in a state of balance, there is no need for a backrest”.
Please also check out the video of the inventor's interview.
Please also check out the video of the inventor's interview.
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balans Synergy is used not only in homes, but also in recent years by progressive companies with a high level of health awareness, such as Panasonic and Toyota Motor Corporation. As you can see from the reviews, it is particularly popular with people who suffer from lower back pain.
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We do not recommend using it on a carpet with long pile, as the rocking function may not work properly.
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The oil on the silver part of the support pillar (gas lift) is a lubricant to prevent friction when raising and lowering, so there is no problem, but if you are concerned about it, you can wipe it off. However, if you wipe it off too many times, it may prevent the chair from moving smoothly. If the chair does not move smoothly or you hear an abnormal friction noise, please pour some commercially available metal product maintenance oil (CRC5-56, etc.) between the silver part and the black pipe and use it.
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If you have just assembled it, you can remove the seat. There are also some points to keep in mind when attaching it, so please refer to the video for help.
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Not just with balans Synergy, but we do not recommend sitting for long periods of time. Please take a break every hour or so by standing up. *
Reference: Koichiro Oka, “Suwarisugi ga jumyo wo chizimeru", Taishukan Publishing, 2017
Reference: Koichiro Oka, “Suwarisugi ga jumyo wo chizimeru", Taishukan Publishing, 2017
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According to treatment guidelines for lower back pain in many European countries and Japan's “Lower Back Pain Treatment Guidelines 2012”, it is recommended that you “do not rest” when you have lower back pain.
In particular, it is not recommended that you lie down and rest, and you are instructed to build a relationship of trust with the patient and move around as much as possible.
The shocking fact that “movement cures” is only a few years old, and it has not yet become widespread, but this theory is becoming the standard in Japan and around the world. As a “chair that lets you sit like you're walking”, the balans Synergy chair produces a moderate rocking motion when you sit on it, and the number of people who have experienced improvements in their lower back pain is steadily increasing.
*If you are receiving medical treatment, please follow the instructions of your doctor.
In particular, it is not recommended that you lie down and rest, and you are instructed to build a relationship of trust with the patient and move around as much as possible.
The shocking fact that “movement cures” is only a few years old, and it has not yet become widespread, but this theory is becoming the standard in Japan and around the world. As a “chair that lets you sit like you're walking”, the balans Synergy chair produces a moderate rocking motion when you sit on it, and the number of people who have experienced improvements in their lower back pain is steadily increasing.
*If you are receiving medical treatment, please follow the instructions of your doctor.
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It is preferable to have a desk with a height that can be adjusted. There are two main reasons for this.
One reason is that, not just for balans synergy, by being able to adjust the height of the desk according to the height of the seat of the chair used and each person's height (seat height), it is possible to maintain a posture that is not too strenuous on the body. When considering good posture, we think that the combination of the chair and desk is very important, not just the chair.
A desk height that is comfortable for the body is one where the angle between the forearm and upper arm is about 90-100 degrees, without the shoulders being raised.
The height of the desk at which the forearm and upper arm form an angle of 90-100 degrees is determined by the height from the floor to the seat of the chair and the height of each person's sitting position, so if the height of the seat of the chair used and each person's height (sitting height) differ, the optimal desk height that is not too much for the body will also naturally be set at a different height.
We believe that being able to freely adjust the height of the desk to suit your height and the chair you are using is important for your posture and your body.
The second reason is that being able to adjust the height of the desk and sit or stand is good for your body. Many experts and academics have pointed out that it is desirable for your body to stand and sit while working throughout the day.
In Norway, it is said that over 90% of people who buy new desks choose desks with height-adjustable tops for health reasons.
At our company, we have introduced motorized height-adjustable desks for all employees, and we have seen an increase in comfort and productivity as a result of standing and sitting while working.
We also discuss the problem of sitting too much and the importance of working while standing at the New Way of Sitting College, so we would be happy if you could take a look.
New Way of Sitting College
New Way of Sitting College
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The “balans Synergy“ is a "chair that lets you sit like you're walking." The on-off motion of rocking back and forth and side to side is just like walking. A recent study has revealed a significant discovery: if you don't move your body and small movements are reduced or not done at all, the metabolism of fat and sugar will be impeded. balans Synergy sits perpendicular to the direction of gravity, and creates a gentle repetitive motion back and forth and side to side. In designing the curvature of the base, we took into account the curves and center of gravity expressed in Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man drawing, and designed it to achieve a gentle rocking motion that is comfortable for people.
The “balans Active Board” is a “board that lets you stand like you're walking.” With research reports showing that the risk of death increases by 40% when you remain seated, recently in Japan, height-adjustable desks have started to be introduced, and the number of people who work while standing is gradually increasing. However, simply standing is not enough, and in order to circulate blood to the muscles, it is important to move, as pointed out in the paper “Sitting and Standing at Work” by the ergonomics team at Cornell University in the United States. The balans Active Board is designed so that you can use it while standing, lightly tapping your feet and rocking your body from side to side.
The balans Easy is a chair that lets you sit like you're standing. When we are standing, we are not aware of it, but our fine muscles are moving subtly to maintain our balance. We are maintaining our balance by repeating the on-off action. If you lean back against the backrest, this movement will be turned off. The “balans Easy” chair, which allows you to sit as if you were standing, is designed so that you can sit with your thighs and stomach at an angle of about 120 degrees. Just as when you are standing, you can activate your balance function while sitting without leaning back against the backrest.
All of the balans® x balans Lab products are designed to “activate the balance function that we humans naturally have” = “allow the body to fully receive the benefits of gravity”.
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In recent years, when people are spending an overwhelming amount of time sitting down, there are now around 27 million people in Japan suffering from lower back pain, and the time has come for a new way of sitting. In this context, we believe that there is room for review of the guidelines for occupational health management in VDT work issued by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare more than 15 years ago.
The following is our company's opinion on the “Guidelines for Occupational Health Management in VDT Work (Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare)”.
Current guidelines: “The basic posture for work is to sit deeply in a chair, fully leaning back against the backrest, with the entire sole of the foot in contact with the floor.”
Our opinion: “Is it really necessary to fully lean back against the backrest? Some believe that the moment you lean back against the backrest, the electrical signals stop and muscle activity weakens. We wonder whether a backrest is really necessary for all office chairs in the first place.”
Current guidelines: “(Regarding chairs) The height of the seat from the floor should be adjustable within a range of approximately 37cm to 43cm.”
Our opinion: “This is the height of the chair based on the premise of sitting with a right angle (sitting with a right angle between the thighs and stomach). With calls for a review of sitting with a right angle, we think this is a range that is too low.”
Current guidelines: “The height of the desk from the floor should be adjustable within a range of 60cm to 72cm.”
Our opinion: “This is also a desk height that assumes sitting with the legs at a right angle. Amidst calls for a review of the right-angle sitting posture, there are calls for a new recommendation. Taking into account the sitting posture that results in an angle between the thighs and stomach of 110 to 135 degrees, and considering the height range of workers to be 150 to 180 cm, it seems desirable to have a desk that can be adjusted to a height of around half of the height of the worker, i.e. 72 to 90 cm.
Based on the results of our clinical trials to date, as well as our collaborations with various specialists and joint research with universities, we believe that for VDT work, a sitting posture with a 120-degree angle between the thighs and stomach (balans sitting) is preferable to the conventional sitting posture with a 90-degree angle between the thighs and stomach.
* VDT work refers to work that involves using VDT (Visual Display Terminals) equipment, which is made up of displays, keyboards, etc., to input, search for, and check data, create, edit, and modify text and images, program, monitor, etc.
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It has passed rigorous strength tests conducted by a third-party organization. We conducted a “seat strength test” based on the Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS), and even when 1300N (approximately 130kg) of force was applied to the seat, no abnormalities were observed.
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We will do our best to accommodate you, so please feel free to contact us below if you need to have it repaired.
●Toll-free number: 0120-411-325
●E-mail: support@balanslab.jp
●E-mail: support@balanslab.jp
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Yes, you can purchase our products in offline stores as well as online.
Please check the list of stores that handle our products here.
Please check the list of stores that handle our products here.
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In principle, we will contact you within a week of receiving your inquiry.
If you have not received a reply within a week, please check all folders in your email software, as there is a possibility that the email has been received in a folder other than the one it should have been received in, such as the spam folder, due to settings in your provider or security software.
Also, if you are using a mobile phone, there are an increasing number of cases where reply emails are being blocked due to “domain-specified reception” or “settings to reject emails from PCs”. Please check your email settings to ensure that you can receive emails from our company's email address (support@balanslab.jp).
If you have checked the above and are still unable to confirm the reply email, we apologize for the inconvenience, but please contact us again. If you are in a hurry, please contact us via our toll-free number (0120-411-325).
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The balans Synergy is a chair that is to be used in a sitting position called “balans sitting”, which is a sitting position where the angle between the thighs and stomach is about 120 degrees.
In this sitting position where the angle between the thighs and stomach is 120 degrees, we believe that using the chair at a height of about half your height will create a good balance between the chair and desk, and that you will be able to use it more comfortably through a synergistic effect.
In this sitting position where the angle between the thighs and stomach is 120 degrees, we believe that using the chair at a height of about half your height will create a good balance between the chair and desk, and that you will be able to use it more comfortably through a synergistic effect.
It is true that the height of desks in Japan is usually fixed at 70cm or 72cm. However, this is the height of the desk based on the height of chairs that are used for the conventional sitting posture, which is when the angle between the thighs and stomach is 90 degrees.
We believe that a sitting posture with a 120-degree angle (balans sitting) is more desirable for posture and the body than a 90-degree sitting posture. When sitting at a 120-degree angle, a desk that can be adjusted to a height of about half your height, i.e. 72-90cm, is desirable, so we recommend raising the height of a 70cm desk, etc.
If you make the seat of the chair low so that your upper body is level with the 70cm height of the desk, in that case, if you put your feet flat on the floor and keep your knees straight, the angle between your thighs and stomach will be 90 degrees, and you will not be sitting as balans sitting.
(In this case, you can get closer to 120-degree sitting by turning your knees inwards, but if you put your whole foot on the floor, you will end up sitting at 90 degrees, so we think it is better for your body to raise both the position of the seat and the height of the desk.)
(In this case, you can get closer to 120-degree sitting by turning your knees inwards, but if you put your whole foot on the floor, you will end up sitting at 90 degrees, so we think it is better for your body to raise both the position of the seat and the height of the desk.)
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- The balans Synergy is manufactured in Japan. It is made by craftspeople in Hida Takayama, a center for woodwork furniture, who carefully craft each piece, producing a high-precision wooden product that is unique to Japanese manufacturing, with details such as the angle and position of the screw holes. (The design was born in Norway, but we have received a license from balans Management in Norway to manufacture it in Japan. )
- The product is a genuine “balans Chair”. Our company is one of the three major manufacturers of balans Chairs. The “balans®” notation is the mark of a genuine product.
- We offer a 90-day money-back guarantee, a 10-year warranty on the wood, and the ability to purchase parts from as little as a single screw, so our after-sales service is excellent.
- The balans Synergy has been clinically proven to be effective in preventing lower back pain. It is also compact and light, making it easy to carry around. Its simple, sophisticated Scandinavian design also means it will fit in with any interior.
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