Massage therapist and 40/4
Danish massage therapist and master of body care Per Gjeding has long been a distinguished contributor to the debate on improving body culture. One of Gjeding's points is that we must give our body much better conditions when we are seated. With the 40/4 chair by HOWE, he has found what he himself calls "the best chair in the world".

The anatomically correct form
But what is it that makes David Rowland’s classic 40/4 chair fit so perfectly with Per Gjeding's "body philosophy"?

"This chair makes it almost impossible not to sit correctly. This is largely due to the anatomically correct form of both the seat and the chair back. Quite simply, the two curves of the chair have been made to fit together with a 'rump'. This relaxes the back, because a hip function is used instead."

Test: the proof is in the blood pressure
As the ace card in his line of argument, Per Gjeding asked one of his customers, Mathias Nielsen, to be the subject of a simple little experiment. Mathias, a trained swimmer, has previously taken a long walk on a step machine, thus increasing his blood pressure. Sitting in the right position on the 40/4 chair, Mathias has his blood pressure taken and it is 115/65. Then Gjeding asks him to take a seat on another, upholstered dining chair. Even though Mathias Nielsen has now "got further away from his exercising" and ought to have lower blood pressure, a new reading reveals blood pressure of 135/75.

Per Gjeding has the explanation:
"It is evident that Mathias' muscles are tensioned because he is unable to find the same support he had in the 40/4 chair. In the dining chair, he has a stiff and hard back, and he cannot stretch his legs. Conversely, when he is sitting on the 40/4 chair, his muscles are loose and unpressured because they are relaxing. And his legs can now be stretched. All because of the support in the seat and back and because the 40/4 chair does not stop the blood circulation at the back of the thigh."

Poor chairs mean poor results
The problem with a stiff, locked sitting position on the dining room chair is that it "closes" off important functions responsible for ensuring that the body distributes the right substances to the brain and the muscles:

"When you are seated in the 40/4 chair, your metabolism rises and the gastrointestinal system enjoys better conditions. This is important in terms of the circulation of blood, because the muscles can make carbohydrates for the brain," Per Gjeding comments. He continues:
"The problem with many chairs is that they result in stiff joints and muscles because the diencephalon disengages due to static load. This results in a lack of glucose to the brain. This is why people’s concentration lapses in learning, meeting and conference situations, because the body is telling the diencephalon that it has had enough.
We can all imagine what that means for schoolchildren, meeting participants, conference delegates and anyone else who has to sit in the same chair for an extended period. Lack of concentration, aching bodies and, ultimately, also considerably poorer results."

Per Gjeding is in no doubt as to the solution: Better sitting comfort for the body. He is also happy to put a name to the solution: the 40/4 chair.