A saddle chair uses the same principles in its design as an equestrian saddle

Saddle

A saddle is a supportive structure for a rider or other load, fastened to an animal's back by a girth. The most common type is the equestrian saddle designed for a horse, but specialized saddles have been created for camels and other creatures...

. It does not have a backrest but is equipped with a chair

Chair

A chair is a stable, raised surface used to sit on, commonly for use by one person. Chairs are most often supported by four legs and have a back; however, a chair can have three legs or could have a different shape depending on the criteria of the chair specifications. A chair without a back or...

 base on castors and a gas cylinder for adjusting the correct sitting height. The castors enable moving around and reaching out for e.g. tools while sitting.

Riding-like sitting

Riding-like sitting

Riding-like sitting or balanced sitting includes a sitting posture that approaches the natural resting position.A forward sloping seat encourages this natural posture, which is the same as when lying on the side while sleeping. The lumbar curve is preserved, the joint angles are open, and muscles...

 on a saddle chair differs from the one on a conventional chair

Chair

A chair is a stable, raised surface used to sit on, commonly for use by one person. Chairs are most often supported by four legs and have a back; however, a chair can have three legs or could have a different shape depending on the criteria of the chair specifications. A chair without a back or...

. Saddle chair users sit 20–30 cm higher, which puts the hips and the knees into a 135º angle, compared to the 90º angle typically associated with sitting on a traditional chair.

Because the saddle

Saddle

A saddle is a supportive structure for a rider or other load, fastened to an animal's back by a girth. The most common type is the equestrian saddle designed for a horse, but specialized saddles have been created for camels and other creatures...

 chair is higher than a normal office chair

Chair

A chair is a stable, raised surface used to sit on, commonly for use by one person. Chairs are most often supported by four legs and have a back; however, a chair can have three legs or could have a different shape depending on the criteria of the chair specifications. A chair without a back or...

 the desk has to be higher as well. For this purpose there are desks that can be electronically or mechanically adjusted to fit the user. A saddle chair can also be used with a normal office desk, but then the desk has to be lifted up e.g. with height extension pieces.

The saddle chair seat is either solid or divided. A divided seat reduces pressure on the genitals and lowers the temperature in the genital area. A divided seat is thought to be healthier, especially for men, than a solid seat.

High quality saddle chairs include not only height adjustments but also a tilt mechanism. There is also a divided saddle chair model on the market that has an adjustable gap between the two seat parts. Accessories (e.g. elbow

Elbow

The human elbow is the region surrounding the elbow-joint—the ginglymus or hinge joint in the middle of the arm. Three bones form the elbow joint: the humerus of the upper arm, and the paired radius and ulna of the forearm....

 and wrist

Wrist

In human anatomy, the wrist is variously defined as 1) the carpus or carpal bones, the complex of eight bones forming the proximal skeletal segment of the hand;...

support) are available for saddle chairs to make different work tasks easier.

Adapting to a saddle chair takes getting used to and requires a new kind of attitude towards sitting. The most common reason for using a saddle chair is that the users feel it is healthier, among other things, for the back and legs than a standard chair. An intervention study on schoolchildren found that saddle chairs were liked better, but the difference levelled off over time.