Sunday, June 20, 2004

the. swopper.


I've run across the Swopper chair in furniture stores and places like Relax the Back that sell ergonomic stuff. I have to admit, it's piqued my interest, but not because of the grandiose claims behind it. I just think it looks fun.

sit. in. motion.
Swopper USA claims the chair allows you to "sit in motion," which supposedly gives you all kinds of benefits over normal chairs. Swopper dealer Workchairs.com has a list of the benefits, ranging from the dubious "have a fun and energized work experience" to the more serious sounding "stabilizing your spine." I'm not sure if there is anything scientific behind the claims, though, and there is a definite snake oil feeling to some of the sites that sell Swopper. (Swopper USA even has a partner program, where you can earn money by selling the Swopper to your friends.)

does. it. work?
I've only been able to try out the Swopper for 5 or 10 minutes at a stretch, so I haven't come up with any conclusive results. As you might suppose from looking at it, the Swopper bounces up and down and also sways from side to side. It's a precarious perch to start out with, but after a few moments your body gets the hang of it. I can't say if it felt "healthier" to me than a more typical office chair, but it was certainly different.

the. bottom. line.
I might try it if someone gave me one, but at a starting price of $499 I'm not rushing to order a Swopper for my home office.

2 Comments:

Blogger ladygoat said...

It sounds like those big exercise balls that they say you should sit on instead of the regular office chair. But I'd feel a lot less embarassed bringing in a Swooper.

5:54 AM  
Blogger Adam said...

Swopper cured my back pain and helps me maintain a good posture. Well worth the money! It takes a bit of getting used to and I can't sit on it *all* day as my back gets tired, but I love my Swopper. It's the healthiest chair on the market according to my chiropractor.

6:43 PM  

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