Definition of a Zero Gravity Chair

A Zero Gravity Chair is of course a chair that places you into a position of “Zero Gravity,” so to speak. The phrase “Zero Gravity Position” is a phrase coined by the Chair Industry. It simply refers to reclining back into a position where the maximum amount possible of a persons’ weight is evenly distributed across their body. And, therefore gives you the sense of weightlessness or the feeling of zero gravity. The concept originated from the Astronaut’s reclining chair.

               The Zero Gravity Position is a far cry from what we are typically subjected to on a daily basis, the usual 6-8 hours per day.  Our typical chairs, force us into an upright position, placing all the pressure, gravity of your weight on our what?  That’s right your bum.  This is the base of your pelvis.  Medical terminology would refer to this area known as your “sitting bones” called your ischial tuberosities.               

So, medically why do we care?  Because too much sitting, excessive sitting pressure on our sitting bones can cause nerve or ligament irritation.  For us existing pain suffers any chair placing all our pressure on our sitting bones is quite unbearable.  And often our doctor advises us to minimize our sitting time, use some cut-out thingy, or plop a lumbar (low back) support onto our favorite chair.  So using a chair that places you into a zero gravity position might be a good idea.

If you’re a bit like me, you might want to know more information on the whole science of sitting and its affects on us.  I just love this kind of research.  The Cornell University Ergonomics Website of research estimates that 50% of people in the industrialized world suffer some form of back complaint and many of these are related to poor seat design. Their site goes on to further state that there is no ideal sitting position and we need a variety of chairs that allow different users to each sit in a variety of postures.  The site also states that sitting leads to 40 - 90% more stress on the back (disc pressure) than standing posture.  This article is amazingly and gets into the whole nitty gritty of the ergonomics, biomechanics, influencing factors, preferred sitting angle, and seat design criteria.

Anyone can benefit from sitting in a Zero Gravity Chair as opposed to any typical chair. A Zero Gravity Chairs support the three natural curves of your body. And this is a big deal because one of the biggest issues that healthcare professionals assist us with today is back pain. Unfortunately, most of us will experience some form of back pain. So, I’m going to quote what Mary Fischer, a Physical Therapist has to say about back pain and sitting. She says that “over 80 percent of Americans will experience sometime in their life,” back pain. “For many of us, sitting posture is a problem.” In her article she says that the natural curves in the body are lost when sitting and the spine needs to go back to its three natural curves. At the end, of her article she states “avoid the problems of low back pain” that can be “caused by bad posture from sitting.” Can you now envision and feel how the ergonomic “S” shape of the Zero Gravity Chair supporting your curves could benefit you!