A recent study conducted by Time found that 54 percent of people who sit all day are likely to die of a heart attack. As most of us have jobs that require us to stay perched for at least eight hours on a day, we are probably in this category. Thus, it is important to choose a comfortable office chair. The comfort and quality of your current office chair directly affect your health and your productivity levels in a given day. In this regard, many office chair options have flooded the market; consequently picking the right chair for you is not an easy task. However, below are some pointers that will help in identifying an appropriate ergonomic office chair or you.
What is ergonomics?
Let us start from the top to ensure we are all on the same page. Ergonomics is simply the application of scientific information in the design of objects, environments, and systems, to make them more comfortable and efficient for use.
Ergonomically comfortable and correct seating should provide you a stable body support in a number of postures. Thus, the main requirement for a good seat is:
- There should be proper circulation in your thighs.
- Your posture requires tiny muscular effort to maintain.
- Stress on your spine is minimized and still maintains the natural s-shape of your spine without any muscular tension.
Choosing your ergonomic office chair
A good ergonomic work chair should satisfy the following:-
- The chair should be fit for its intended purpose, as it will enable you to move more freely, thus, you can carry out your tasks more efficiently and comfortably.
- The chair should also be able to accommodate everyone who uses it, regardless of his or her shape or size.
- It should be supportive of your body in various sitting position.
- Ensure the chair is suited for your workstation, the height of the table and the layout on the desk should be put into consideration.
If you are the kind of person that spends several hours on the chair, ensure it has adjustable features. The adjustments should be within your reach and very easy for you to operate while you are seated. Having Lumbar support is essential if you usually use your office chairs for long periods.
Will someone else use your chair?
It is also important to keep this into consideration. If the individual is very different in your build, weight and height then it is advisable to get an ergonomic office chair that will easily adjust to each of you. It should also have an adjustable height kind of lumbar support.
Some of the features you need to look out for.
- The height of the seat
Seat height is the most important feature. When on the seat, your feet should rest flat on the floor without having the back of your thighs compressed. If this is not so, you will restrict proper blood supply to your feet and legs, which will result in tired and some cases numb legs.
- The seat depth
The seat depth will need to be adjustable; if it is not adjustable, it should allow you to seat at the back of the chair without having to press the back of your knees. To use the Backrest correctly, you need to ensure you are sitting right at the back of the chair.
- Lumbar or the backrest support
A proper ergonomic office chair should have a backrest that has an appropriate shape and size; it will be able to support your middle and lower back properly without any movement restrictions on your arms and shoulder. The purpose of the backrest is to help maintain the natural S-shape of your spine while you are sitting.
- A backrest tilt
When you tilt the backrest of the chair, you can opt for different postures, for example, having a semi-reclined position or upright. When sitting in a work chair, the angle present between your back and thighs should be between 95 to 105 degrees. The angel will ensure your chest and abdomen are properly opened, not compressed. When you open up the angle between your thighs and body, it will help you breathe better, which sends more oxygen to your muscles.
- Armrests
Since you spend several hours on the chair, then it will be important to have proper support for your arms. Having a fixed armrest is okay if you occasionally use your chair; however, if it is for extended use the armrest should be easy to adjust. The height adjustable armrests are quickly lowered so that they go neatly under your desk when not using the chair.
The best kind of ergonomic office chairs should allow you to easily change the width that is between the arms to suit your body width. It allows them to be as close as you need them to be.
An ergonomic office chair could be the solution for those who spend hours on their desks, but it is important to note, a break is still needed from time to time. Have a routine, like taking a short walk around your office or simple stretches after two hours; this will help you both physically and mentally.
In regards to an ergonomic office chair, it is advisable to have a look at the ergonomic mesh chair, as they are a very popular trend in the office. The simple reason being, they are a great chair for good ventilation, as the chair will allow proper air circulation through your back, while other types of fabrics used in chairs tend to trap heat. Let us not forget the chair is also super easy to clean and stylish despite the thin appearance it might have.