There’s no denying that Capisco chairs look good in an office. But do they feel good, and even do good for your posture and productivity?
When office chair designers first took the horse riding saddle as inspiration, did we become health and wellbeing winners?
Many of the ergonomic product experts at Posturite consider the Capisco chair to be their favourite saddle-style chair. A thoroughbred amongst saddle-type chairs, if you like. I agree – it’s beautifully designed, it takes up little space in a home office, it’s clever in its adaptability and versatility, it’s made from sustainable materials and yes, it’s very comfortable. As an ergonomic chair, its design enables an open hip angle, helping enhance blood circulation and minimising leg fatigue too.
Are you sold before I even mention it appears in Star Trek?
The Capisco chair with its unique shape actually gives us a fun choice of positions to sit in. And one of the sitting postures has features similar to how we sit on a horse – thighs angled down, shoulders back, pelvis not rotated back, core engaged.
Whoa – clever stuff. It’s not in fact technically a true ‘saddle chair’ – but the Capisco is saddlesque.
So that you can choose a Capisco chair with confidence, let me explain what to expect:
1. You’ll be introduced to an ‘open hip angle’
The shape of a Capisco chair places your legs at a greater angle to your torso than they’d be in a traditional office chair. It’s a more open hip angle and many people find this very comfortable. It can actually make you feel more energised for work.
Again, think of the horse riding posture.
Because you're opening up your hip angle, you’ll need to sit just a little higher, so just adjust your desk height if you can. An important point is that this open hip angle can help alleviate pressure on your hip joints, if you are suffering with any discomfort or pain.
2. You’ll sit with your thighs slightly apart
The contours of the comfortable Capisco seat will mean that your legs aren’t together, they’ll be in a slight V shape.
Great with trousers. Keen pencil-skirt wearers – take note.
3. You’ll have great versatility
- You can use the Capisco office chair facing forward, in the traditional position.
- You can sit sideways, leaning your middle on the back and arms.
- You can sit the other way round, gaining body support from the backrest, when you are working in front of you.
- You can set it high and work on a high table or at a sit-stand desk.
- You can lean back, and the back rest will move with you.
So, the Capisco chair is actually great if you like to fidget!
Have a long meeting? Switch between positions on your Capisco chair to mix it up. Bring on the fun at work.
An ergonomic chair can’t really do good for you – you have to take part in the experience! It’s there to help you but not tick every healthy working box for you. I’d recommend taking short and frequent movement breaks and changing your posture regularly for best results. Extended periods of static sitting is bad for our health, so a good office chair opens you to dynamic sitting opportunities. You’ll be empowered to adopt different sitting positions, promoting movement and flexibility.
Are Capisco chairs well suited to specific jobs?
Dentists, chiropractors and all kinds of physical therapists are among the devotees of Capisco chairs for work. In their jobs they’re constantly moving around the room and around their patients – the wheels come in handy here of course too – and the same goes for hairdressers too. You can choose a plastic wipe-clean Capisco chair for these environments such as the HÅG Capisco Puls 8010 Office Chair.
Who designed the iconic Capisco chair?
A talented Norwegian industrial designer and jazz musician called Peter Opsvik designed the HÅG Capisco chair in 1984. It’s a testament to his design that the chair still looks fresh and interesting now. The Capisco is one of a range of popular ergonomic chairs from the brand Flokk.
An ergonomist’s feedback on her Capisco
“I find with all of the HÅG chairs that the curve just works for my shape” Katharine Metters, head consultant in ergonomics at Posturite, tells me. “My Capisco chair is fun to use - I like the movement element. I do turn it around, and I do sit sideways on it, leaning on the chair back. I find that useful, particularly in longer meetings. I see it as a ‘fidget chair’.”
Years ago, she had acute back pain from a prolapsed disc and also says she could not have worked without regularly using this Capisco chair in the semi-standing position to rest on, to take the pressure off the nerve, together with her sit-stand desk.
More real-life Capisco chair reviews
Joanne, reviewing the HÅG Capisco 8106 Chair:
“Really good quality chair, I love the versatility. As someone who fidgets (ADHD), this chair has really helped me maintain a good posture whilst allowing me to move around. It also tucks away nicely, making the office seem bigger.”
It’s important to hear from buyers about the Capisco’s pain-alleviating suggestions. So Paul says of his HÅG Capisco 8106 Chair:
“It's a brilliant chair, and it's already helping my back and legs.”
And David reviewed the HÅG Capisco Puls 8020 Chair:
“Allows for sit, stand, perch throughout the day - which is complementary to back issue management. Saddle style seat encourages downward thigh position, to relieve pressure on the lower back, without impinging blood flow or hamstrings. Very good product at a good price point.”
My favourite Capisco chair review however, comes from Louise about the Capisco 8106 chair:
“Weird looking chair but fantastic. It's expensive but I'm now pain free. Delighted.”
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