Universe saddle stool

Universe saddle stool on wheels with chrome base

A saddle stool is an ergonomic stool with a seat that has the shape of a horse saddle. A saddle stool helps you to sit upright, so that you automatically adopt a good sitting position. It is characterized by its unique and fashionable shape. The Universe saddle stools are adjustable in height by means of a pneumatic spring.

Features and Benefits

Active sitting position: The saddle shape automatically tilts your pelvis slightly forward. As a result, your spine takes on the natural S-shape.

Less back pain: Your weight is evenly distributed, which reduces pressure on your back and spine.

Muscle strengthening: You sit on your sit bones instead of your buttocks, so you train your core muscles (core) without noticing.

Better blood flow: Because your hips are at an open angle, the blood flows better to your lower body.

Freedom of movement: They are usually equipped with wheels and adjustable in height, so you can move flexibly.

Benefits for the lymphatic system and blood circulation

The use of a saddle stool has an immediate positive influence on the blood circulation and lymphatic system in your lower body. This is mainly due to the specific angle at which your hips and legs are placed.

Below you can read exactly how this works:

1. An open hip angle prevents pinching

When you sit on a traditional chair, your hips and knees are at a 90-degree angle. This sharp kink acts as a kind of ‘traffic jam’ for your blood vessels and lymphatic pathways in the groin area.

• On a saddle stool, the seat is higher and your hips are at an open angle from 120 to 135 degrees.
• This gives the large blood vessels (such as the femoral vein) and the lymphatic vessels in the groin space, allowing fluids to flow more freely .

2. Activering van de spierpomp (veneuze pomp)

The lymphatic system and veins (veins), unlike arteries, do not have an active pump like the heart to push fluid upward. They are completely dependent on the movement of your muscles (the muscle pump).

• Because you take an active stance on a saddle stool and put your feet flat on the floor to maintain your balance, you constantly activate your calf and thigh muscles.
• Each time these muscles tighten, they ‘squeeze’ the veins and lymphatic vessels empty, efficiently pumping blood and lymphatic fluid back to the trunk

The concrete benefits for your body:

• Less tired and heavy legs: Blood and fluid do not linger at the bottom of your legs at the end of the working day (pooling).
• Less chance of edema (fluid retention): Active lymphatic circulation ensures that excess tissue fluid in your feet and ankles is immediately drained.
• Lower pressure on blood vessels: This helps reduce the onset or worsening of varicose veins.
• Better energy levels: Optimal blood circulation ensures a faster supply of oxygen and nutrients to your muscles and organs, and a faster removal of waste products (such as lactic acid).

What is the best way to adjust a saddle stool for optimal blood flow?

To make optimal use of a saddle stool for your blood and lymphatic circulation, the correct height and sitting position is crucial. If the stool is too low or too high, you immediately lose the ergonomic benefits.

Follow these steps to set up your saddle stool perfectly:

1. Determine the correct seat height (The 135 degree rule)

• Adjust the stool so high that your hips are significantly higher than your knees.
• Your thighs should be angled downwards, creating a open hip angle of about 135 degrees.
• Check: This automatically puts you a lot higher than on a normal desk. Make sure your desk or worktop also grows with this new height.

2. Place your feet flat on the floor

• Your feet should be able to rest completely flat on the floor, slightly wider than hip-width (in a slight V-shape).
• If you only touch the ground with your toes, the stool is too high. This causes pressure on the back of your thighs, which pinches blood flow.
• Your feet carry part of your body weight and provide the stability needed to activate the muscle pump in your calves.

3. Positioneer je bekken correct

• Sit well at the back of the saddle, on your sit bones and not on the soft tissue at the front.
• Tilt your pelvis slightly forward until you notice your lower back take on its natural, slight arch. This opens the groin area to the maximum, where the main blood and lymphatic vessels run.

4. Adjust the tilting seat (if equipped)

• Does your saddle stool have a tilt mechanism? Tilt the nose of the saddle down a little .
• This reduces pressure on the pubic bone and groin, providing unobstructed fluid flow and added comfort in an active sitting position.

Is there a big difference between a wide and narrow saddle shape?

Yes, there is a big difference between a wide and narrow saddle shape, and the right choice is very important for the comfort of your pelvis and the blood flow in your legs. The biggest difference is in the anatomy of your pelvis (especially the distance between your sit bones) and your body height.

The most important differences at a glance:

Kenmerk	Brede zadelvorm (Classic)	Smalle zadelvorm (Sport / Ergo)
Vorm & Houding	Traditional, flatter saddle shape. Forces your legs into a wider spread.	Narrower, more pointed shape. Your legs are closer together, similar to a cycling position.
Geschikt voor	People with wider hips (often women) and average to taller height.	People with narrower hips (often men), smaller people, and people with sensitive hip joints.
Drukverdeling	Distributes weight over a larger surface area. Feels more stable.	Puts less pressure on the inside of the thighs and groin.

How do you choose the right form?

• Choose a narrow model like:
  • You are shorter than ± 1.65 m (with a wide saddle you often cannot put your feet flat on the ground).
  • You quickly get problems with your hips or groin with a wide spread.
  • You wear clothes in which a large spread position is inconvenient (such as a tighter skirt or pants).
• Choose a wide model like:
  • You are a bit bigger or heavier built.
  • You notice that on a narrow saddle you have the feeling of ‘sinking’ through or experiencing too little support on your sit bones.

When in doubt, the narrow shape is often the safest choice for optimal blood flow, as it puts the least strain on the groin area and is the easiest to adjust to the correct height. The Universe saddle stools have a wide saddle shape.

What is the upholstery of a saddle stool?

The upholstery (or upholstery) of a saddle stool is crucial, because you move much more actively on a saddle stool than on a normal chair. The fabric must therefore be able to “slide” well to prevent chafing along the inside of your legs. In addition, the choice strongly depends on the working environment and hygiene requirements.

Here are the four most common types of upholstery:

1. Kunstleer (PU- of PVC-leer) – Meest populair

This is the standard cover for most saddle stools, including the Universe saddle stool.

• Features: It feels smooth, is completely waterproof and very easy to wipe off with a damp cloth.
• Application: Ideal for general use in the office, home workplaces or in the wellness sector. Premium PU leather is preferred over PVC because it feels softer, lasts longer, and is produced in a more environmentally friendly way.

2. Medische bekleding (Stamskin of PUxx) – Voor de zorg

In medical and hygienic environments, strict rules apply to disinfection.

Characteristics: Sometimes Stamskin or PUxx is used. These fabrics are 100% waterproof, blood and urine resistant, antibacterial and antifungal. In addition, they are resistant to harsh disinfectant cleaners (such as alcohol) without tearing or discolouring the material.

• Application: Dental offices, hospitals, laboratories and physiotherapists.

3. Polyurethane (PUR / Integral foam) – For industry and hair salons

• Properties: PUR is not a textile or leather, but a harder, rubbery plastic layer that is molded directly around the foam. It is extremely robust, scratch-resistant and resistant to chemical and aggressive liquids. The surface is slightly rougher.
• Application: Laboratories, workshops and hair salons (because no hairs can prick the seams).

4. Plain Textiles / Upholstery Fabric – For Office

• Features: This feels warm and comfortable and has a homely appearance. The disadvantage is that it absorbs liquids and is less easy to disinfect. With intensive use, a high abrasion resistance (at least 80,000 Martindale) is required because the fabric wears out faster due to constant movement.
• Application: Offices and home workplaces.

Is there a difference between PU and PVC vinyl?

Yes, there is a big difference between PU (Polyurethane) and PVC vinyl, although they may look the same on the outside. PU leather is a more modern, environmentally friendly and comfortable material, while PVC vinyl is known for its extreme robustness and lower price.

When choosing a saddle stool, these differences directly determine the seating comfort and lifespan:

Kenmerk	PU (Polyurethaan)	PVC-vinyl
Comfort & Gevoel	Soft, supple and breathable. Quickly takes on your body temperature, making it sweat less quickly.	Harder and stiffer. It does not breathe, so you sweat faster when sitting for long periods of time.
Duurzaamheid	Very flexible. It stretches and hardly tears or peels off over time.	Less flexible. Dries out faster due to UV light and skin oils, leading to cracks and cracks.
Milieu & Gezondheid	Environmentally friendly. Contains no toxic plasticizers (phthalates) and is biodegradable.	Less environmentally friendly. Manufacturing is more chemical and requires plasticizers to make it flexible.
Onderhoud & Reiniging	Easy to clean, but less resistant to harsh chemicals and alcohol.	Extremely chemical resistant. Can be easily removed with aggressive (medical) cleaning agents.

Which one should you choose for your saddle stool?

• Choose PU (Polyurethane) if the stool is going to be placed in a office, home office or in a beauty salon. The seating comfort is many times higher, it feels more luxurious and the material lasts much longer with normal use without tearing.
• Choose PVC vinyl if the stool is used in a laboratory, workshop or harsh industrial environment where chemicals, oils or harsh detergents are regularly used.

Applications:

Saddle stools are widely used in professions where you need to be active and flexible, such as in healthcare, dental practices, barbershops, beauty salons, massage parlors, masseurs, nail stylists, and in the office.