Chair yoga is a modified and easier version of traditional yoga that is often done by people with limited mobility, seniors, or those who are recovering from injuries.
If you spend a chunk of your days seated, chair yoga can be a good way to help you stretch and keep active even as you work, thereby reducing the risk of a sedentary lifestyle.
While you can use a simple chair to practice this exercise, some believe that a specialized yoga chair for desk work may be a better option. But is this true?
The answer to this largely changes based on who you ask. There are many specialized yoga desk chairs out there and so answers may differ depending on the manufacturer/advertiser or user experience.
However, despite all this, research states that you don’t need a specialized chair to practice chair yoga. Researchers state that you can use any chair to practice this exercise, apart from those with wheels as they may slip (1, 2).
As mentioned above, any stable and sturdy chair without wheels can be used to practice chair yoga. In addition to sturdiness and a lack of wheels, some other things you should consider when choosing the best yoga chair for desk work include:
Your chair of choice should not have any armrests as they can hinder some poses
Whether you’re a workout beast or just a beginner making your first foray into the world of fitness and dieting – BetterMe has a lot to offer to both newbies and experts! Install the app and experience the versatility first-hand!
Do your feet comfortably touch the floor? The chair you choose should be the perfect height for you. Your feet should not be dangling off the floor nor should the chair be too low and make you feel as though you are crouching while seated.
This should be flat and level front to back and side to side to allow you to move through any chair workout for weight loss sequence without affecting your balance.
Read more: 10 Chair Yoga Poses For Beginners
Most chairs that fit the above description of an ideal yoga chair are either simple kitchen table chairs or folding chairs. Unfortunately, unless you work from home, it’s not feasible for you to use kitchen table chairs or folding chairs at work.
Even those who work from home may find it difficult to use such chairs for long periods as they’re not the most comfortable options. Therefore, yoga desk chairs, such as the meditation chair office alternative or stability balls, are available.
Proponents of these alternatives claim that these chairs may help firm your core, improve your posture, and strengthen your back – all while you sit. Unfortunately, all these benefits are largely anecdotal as researchers and experts have found these claims to be untrue.
Studies over the years on the use of exercise balls as office chairs have shown that the risks outweigh any purported advantages. Some of the downsides seen after the use of these balls as a desk chair at work include (3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
No, a specialized yoga desk chair won’t help improve your posture. As seen from the section above, research and experts have shown that such chairs only lead to more disadvantages than advantages.
Instead of relying on an office chair to be the magical pill to help improve your posture, we suggest that you incorporate exercise into your routine.
A yoga chair core workout is a great example of a low-impact workout you can do to better your posture over time. Not only is yoga a great exercise for improving posture (8, 9) but research has consistently shown that a stronger core improves your posture, balance, back muscle strength, endurance, and sports performance (10, 11).
As mentioned above, most specialized yoga desk chairs will only lead to more problems than solutions as they’re not well made to support your body or back as you work.
If you’d like to do office chair yoga, you can do simple stretches such as neck rolls, finger and wrist stretches, and shoulder rolls. These stretches are simple enough to do, even with a regular chair with wheels on it, and can help take off some tension during work hours.
If you’d like to do more office chair yoga moves, then it may be a good idea to find a stable chair with no wheels or armrests and place it in a corner of the office and use that instead. Putting it into a corner can help to increase the stability of the chair. This will prevent you from tipping over when you attempt any chair yoga exercise.
Other simple stretches you can do at your desk while seated on a stable sturdy chair with neither wheels nor armrests include:
The Seated Twist
Also known as the twisted spinal twist, this helps reduce any tightness that may be caused by prolonged sitting and increases your back’s range of motion.
BetterMe: Health Coaching app helps you achieve your body goals with ease and efficiency by helping to choose proper meal plans and effective workouts. Start using our app and you will see good results in a short time.
Seated Cat-Cow Stretch
This stretch helps increase mobility and flexibility and relieves any tension in your upper back, shoulders, and neck.
Seated Eagle
If your hips, thighs, and shoulders feel stiff, this stretch can help relieve some of that tension.
Read more: 9 Discreet Desk Yoga Poses For Office Workers
There’s no limit to how often you should engage in seated yoga exercises at your desk throughout the day. These exercises are simple to do, require minimal space and movement, and offer quick relief. Do them as required.
Not really. As we’ve mentioned above, you don’t need to get a specialized yoga desk chair or a meditation office chair – any stable chair without wheels or armrests can work well for both work and desk yoga when the need arises. If you want to meditate for a few minutes while at work, find a quiet, clean space and sit to meditate for as long as you can. You could also bring a simple yoga mat and leave it at the office if you prefer not to sit directly on the floor for meditation. Yes, you can. As we’ve seen from the studies above, research and experts don’t agree with the purported benefits of such furniture. Instead of paying for these specialized yoga furniture, you’re better off sticking to a regular office chair. Although more research is needed on the matter, studies have shown that regular office chairs may help reduce musculoskeletal symptoms among workers who are required to sit for prolonged periods (12). It’s unlikely that a piece of furniture will help improve your focus. If you want to improve your focus at work, you’ll likely experience better success if you (13): Any comfortable armless chair without wheels can work as a cheap and efficient alternative to a yoga desk chair. Frequently Asked Questions
Is a yoga desk chair good for beginners?
Can a yoga chair be replaced with a regular office chair?
Can a yoga chair for your desk improve your focus at work?
Are there alternatives to a yoga chair for your desk?
While it may seem like a good idea to invest in a yoga desk chair, research has clearly shown that many of the purported benefits are largely anecdotal and there is little to no scientific backing to them. Instead of buying such a chair, save your money and stick to a simple, sturdy chair. Regular office chairs may actually be even better than these specialized seats – opt for one of those instead.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not serve to address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on for making any kind of decision-making. Any action taken as a direct or indirect result of the information in this article is entirely at your own risk and is your sole responsibility.
BetterMe, its content staff, and its medical advisors accept no responsibility for inaccuracies, errors, misstatements, inconsistencies, or omissions and specifically disclaim any liability, loss or risk, personal, professional or otherwise, which may be incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and/or application of any content.
You should always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or your specific situation. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of BetterMe content. If you suspect or think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor.