Health

Swinging is exercising

Rocking chairs have been used in hospitals for a long time to ease labouring pains and to lighten the suffering for those who have neck and back illnesses. It is also known that people with heart problems sometimes like to sleep in a rocking chair. Lately there have been several researches about the health influences of rocking chairs. One of the researches was conducted by the Polytechnic University of Lahti.

Urjalan Keinukaluste manufactured a special rocking chair for a patient suffering from balance problems. The rocking chair was made by doctor’s order, and the special thing in the chair was that the swinging movement was made sideward.

In the maternity ward of the University hospital of Tampere rocking chairs are in use as well. Those models are “Urjala” and “Karoliina”. The reason is to provide a higher comfort for the women. Keinukaluste Oy delivers each year several rocking chairs to old-people homes and service homes for relaxation and as training equipment. According to the researches made with elderly people the swinging activates abdominal muscles. It also affects your back and lower extremity muscles by strengthening cells and improving blood circulation. People with respiratory problems like to use rocking chairs as well. Swinging relaxes the respiratory passages and makes breathing easier for people with asthma for example.