# Does anyone use the Swopper or Kore desk "chairs"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 23, 2015, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-use-the-swopper-or-kore-desk-chairs/725948 "2015-07-23T13:45:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2015, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-use-the-swopper-or-kore-desk-chairs/725948/1 "2015-07-23T13:45:31Z")
Along with the recent suggestions to use sit/stand desks and also to get up and walk around every 30 minutes or so, I’ve been reading about a couple of office/desk “chairs” that aren’t really chairs but backless stools that promote good posture, permit the body to move while seated, and, many say, help alleviate back problems. There’s the [Kore Everyday Office Wobble Chair](http://smile.amazon.com/Kore-Everyday-Office-Wobble-Chair/dp/B007UV7XMA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1437658449&sr=8-2&keywords=wobble+chair) for a modest $124 on amazon and the [Swopper - Special Edition](http://smile.amazon.com/Swopper-Special-Coordinated-Colored-Spring/dp/B00079EH3U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1437658268&sr=8-1&keywords=swopper+chair), coming in at a hefty $699 (amazon). The modestly-priced ($79) [Balance Ball Chair](http://smile.amazon.com/Gaiam-Custom-Adjustable-Balance-Chair/dp/B0047HXMP2/ref=sr_1_3?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1437658597&sr=1-3&keywords=balance+ball+office+chair) (with variations) has also been around for a while. Any Dopers use any of these? Worth the money? Learning curve? Do you swear by it or \*at \*it? ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2015, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-use-the-swopper-or-kore-desk-chairs/725948/2 "2015-07-25T15:26:09Z")
I guess that would be a _no_. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2015, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-use-the-swopper-or-kore-desk-chairs/725948/3 "2015-07-26T16:37:19Z")
Please let me make one more comment and then this thread can die a natural death. I went by the Relax the Back door yesterday to sit on the $700 Swopper. It’s **very** sproingey and bouncy. When you sit on it, you do sink down on the heavy duty spring. There is also considerable side to side and back and forth circular motion. You do not feel stable, and I can see where your back muscles would have to be constantly engaged to keep you upright. I can also see that if you ever got good at it, your balance and strength would have increased. The store owner said people can experience a lot of shoulder and neck tension as part of the learning curve. They recommend not using it for more than an hour at a time. Of course, we’re supposed to be getting up from our normal desk chairs every half hour and stretching, too, right? He said they used to carry the Kore Wobble chair but stopped because people kept falling off of them. If you’re near a Relax the Back store, go try one out. Signing off. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2015, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-use-the-swopper-or-kore-desk-chairs/725948/4 "2015-07-26T17:52:25Z")
I just use a balance ball, not a balance ball chair. It’s like sitting on a balance ball. It supposedly works my core - don’t know if it really does. And if you’re a determined sloucher, you can slouch on it. I’ve been doing this for a while now, and I’m used to it. My mother uses something that looks like the Kore and likes it (as it is my mother, I’m sure she found it at a thrift shop - which gives two data points. Someone didn’t like the chair and got rid of it). ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2015, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-use-the-swopper-or-kore-desk-chairs/725948/5 "2015-07-26T20:16:58Z")
We have a Swopper. The kids love it. Strong-cored little minks. I use it for shorter periods of time and it’s fine. My dad sat on it and went right over. Not for someone in less than normal physical condition. I think you have to constantly remind yourself to sit straight and not slouch to get a benefit. The Balance Ball chair seems more effective to me. Although I’ve seen it used, and used it myself, as just the largest size balance ball. No chair. ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2015, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-use-the-swopper-or-kore-desk-chairs/725948/6 "2015-07-27T21:56:10Z")
I’ve used a [kneeling chair](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kneeling_chair) in the past and once I was used to it, really prefer it to the “ergo” Aeron knock-offs the company bought. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2015, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-use-the-swopper-or-kore-desk-chairs/725948/7 "2015-07-27T22:26:39Z")
I considered getting a Swopper. I tend not to depend on my chair backs much anyway, and so the idea appealed to me. I also have to rotate around a lot for work (switching between several computers), so that aspect also seemed nice. Never actually tried one, though. At work we get a chair subsidy which I was going to apply to it. There’s a Relax the Back store near here (never heard of them before); I’ll check them out–thanks for the suggestion. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2015, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-use-the-swopper-or-kore-desk-chairs/725948/8 "2015-07-27T23:42:21Z")
I’ll stick with my Judas cradle, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2015, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-use-the-swopper-or-kore-desk-chairs/725948/9 "2015-07-28T01:12:17Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > I considered getting a Swopper. I tend not to depend on my chair backs much anyway, and so the idea appealed to me. I also have to rotate around a lot for work (switching between several computers), so that aspect also seemed nice. Never actually tried one, though. At work we get a chair subsidy which I was going to apply to it. > > There’s a Relax the Back store near here (never heard of them before); I’ll check them out–thanks for the suggestion. Please come back and tell us what you thought of it. I was surprised at how dynamic and unstable it felt. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2015, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-use-the-swopper-or-kore-desk-chairs/725948/10 "2015-07-28T01:13:18Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > I’ll stick with my Judas cradle, thanks. I googled that and got some really scary pictures. What is it? ---
**Author:** ![buckgully](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb9ed0/32.png) [@buckgully](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buckgully)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2015, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-use-the-swopper-or-kore-desk-chairs/725948/11 "2015-07-28T01:38:01Z")
I’m currently sitting on this: > **[Amazon.com: Sivan Health and Fitness Balance Ball Fit Chair Base with Ball &...](https://www.amazon.com/Sivan-Health-Fitness-Balance-Chair/dp/B00IYUREDY)** > > This chair is very useful for stretching, preventing spine disorders, rehabilitation, correcting posture, reducing stiffness and improving circulation. Featuring a sturdy base designed with 4 rolling wheels, of which 2 can be locked into position,... I got it when my bulging disc was acting up and at that point I was ready to try anything to get the pain to go away. It’s comfy for short periods, but after a while it makes my butt fall asleep. It does let me sit in a position that tends to help with the sciatica. I also have a motorized sit-stand desk and a normal desk chair, and I’ll cycle through all three over the course of a day.