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Sunday, March 20, 2011

The Phillips Chair: The Story of How it Came to Be: plus Video

The Phillips Chair

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The Story Of How It Came To Be
My name is Dr. Joseph C. Phillips. I practiced optometry for 39 years. Good reading posture is very important in the control of progressive myopia (near sightedness). I developed the chair for my near sighted patients. Other adult patients in my office would see that funny chair in my office and want to sit on it. I would explain the chair and then they would want to buy one for use at their computer. I started getting "War Story" phone calls. My patients who were using the chair on a regular basis would call and say, "Gee Doc, I've been meaning to call you. I used to go to a Chiropractor two or three times a month. Haven't been back since I bought your chair six months ago." After about a dozen such tales I bought 100 chairs and converted them to The Phillips Principle. I sold those 100 chairs in the 120 days prior to falling off a ladder two years ago, crushing my lumbar #1 vertebra.

I have two stories about the chair I would like you to know. One is of a 40 plus year old patient, Marlene. Marlene works for Winter Architects in Wichita . Marlene is a lovely person. She always has a smile on her face and is most pleasant. I walked into her office one day, two years ago at 10:00 A.M. She was frowning and grumpy. I asked, "My God Marlene, what is the matter?" She said, "My back is killing me" I asked if she had been to the doctor. She said, "Yes, and I am going again tomorrow." I told her I would be right back and left to get her my chair. I delivered it, explained it, and left. At 3:30 that afternoon she called me and said, "Bless you. I do not have a pain in my body." I later got her one with adjustable arms. In her presence I told Dan Winter, the architect, the chair was $275. Dan told me to take a hike. He would not pay that much for any office chair. Marlene looked Dan in the eye and said, "Dan, if the chair goes I am going with it." Dan replied, "Write him a check." I saw Marlene again the following July. I asked her when she had been to the Chiropractor last. She said she hadn't been back. Then she added the kicker, "When I got up this morning I had a back ache, I could hardly wait to get to work to get on my chair." Marlene also says her general posture has much improved since having the chair.

In my own case, after the ladder accident, it was the only chair other than a recliner that I was able to sit in comfortably. I sit in it to eat all meals. I must sit in it to put on and take off my socks. I cannot do it any other way. And I can demonstrate to uninjured people why it is easier. It is like I designed this chair in advance for my own impending problem.

I have dozens of stories like this from people in Wichita , KS .

I have chairs sold to individuals in New York , Pennsylvania , Florida , Oklahoma , Arkansas , Colorado , California , North Dakota , Kansas , Michigan , Wisconsin , Illinois , Virginia , Texas and Alaska .

In Wichita , KS., two executives of Intrust Bank sit on my chair every day and have for over two years.

One of Boeing's ergonomic engineers told me that they all had been taught that the angle between the thigh and shin bone should be 90 degrees. He said, "I now know that is wrong. This damn chair is really good."

Joseph C. Phillips, O.D.

For further info on The Phillips Chair, email fre2observe@yahoo.com
"Your Back is Gonna Love This Chair"