If you work at a computer for most of the day, you must be comfortable. Although your current office chair may feel fairly comfortable, it might have hidden disadvantages. A standard office chair could be doing you more harm than good, for several reasons. Here are some of the reasons to swap your office chair for an ergonomic one:
1. To Enhance Productivity
Productivity is crucial to achieving all you can at work. Most people are guilty of procrastinating a little when they’re working, but poor productivity means it’ll take longer for you to reach your goals. Sitting down for long periods can get uncomfortable, and you may feel the need to take regular breaks. The best ergonomic chairs will allow you to change position easily throughout the day to ensure you stay comfortable for longer.
2. Ergonomic Chairs Can Improve Your Posture
Throughout the day, you may notice that you tend to slump. This is natural for most people, but it can greatly affect your posture. Ergonomic chairs provide the lumbar support needed to protect your spine health and reduce the chance of developing back problems. Sitting correctly at work can mean your posture improves overall, and you may even notice the impact in other areas of your life. Entry-level and budget office chairs can cause back and neck pain over longer periods. This is because they do not provide the support that you’ll find on the best ergonomic chairs.
3. You’ll Reduce Pressure on Your Hips
When you’re sitting at work, the hip joints take a lot of your body weight. A standard office chair will not offer hip support to distribute your weight evenly while sitting. This means that your hips can strain as the weight of your legs isn’t supported effectively. An ergonomic chair will usually offer an adjustable seat surface that the user can adapt to take pressure off the hips.
4. They’re Generally Considered Safer
An ergonomic chair is designed to be adjusted often. This means they are tested a lot through development and manufacturing to ensure they are safe. The best ergonomic chairs will last you a long time and remain safe throughout use. As mentioned above, they are also safer for your overall spine and joint health. Many ergonomic chairs will also meet certain health and safety standards relating to certain industries.
5. They’re Designed to Accommodate All Users
Standard office chairs offer limited flexibility in terms of adjustment. This means that they are not suitable for everyone. You may need more support for a certain part of your body or find that standard chairs do not suit your body type or working style. The best ergonomic chairs will be customizable enough to suit all users. Once you have adjusted an ergonomic chair to suit you, you won’t need to do much to ensure you remain comfortable throughout the day.
Choosing the Best Ergonomic Chairs
You should now know the advantages of choosing an ergonomic chair over a basic office chair. However, knowing how to choose one can be tough. There are so many ergonomic chairs available, so it’s a good idea to know what to look for.
Adjustable Features
To ensure the chair is suitable for you and will be comfortable when you come to adjust it, you’ll want to choose a chair with many adjustable features. The chair should have fully adjustable components. Such as:
- The headrest.
- Lumbar support.
- Seat tilt.
- Height.
Tips for Choosing the Right Ergonomic Chair
The Seat
You should ensure that the seat feels comfortable and fits your body type. It shouldn’t be too long and touch your knees or mean that you are unable to lean back fully against the support in the lumbar section. You’ll also want the edge of the seat to feel soft and contain contoured support. This will prevent compression of the buttocks and the thighs.
The Lumbar Support
Lumbar support is an important feature that will ensure your comfort. You should look for a chair that has a comfortable cushioned lumbar support with maximum adjustability if several users will be using the chair. Fixed lumbar support provides much less flexibility but may be suitable if you are the main user and you test the lumbar support for comfort before buying.
The Base
If you’ll be moving around a lot on your chair, then it’s a good idea to choose one with a five-pedestal base. This will ensure maximum maneuverability and allow you to effortlessly move the chair around your office. You should also look for a chair with a swivel feature if maneuverability is important to you.
Conclusion
Ergonomic chairs aren’t only for people with existing pain problems. In fact, they’re great for protecting against these issues and offer the support you need to stay comfortable at work. Preventing back, neck, and leg problems is crucial, as these can be life-long. You’ll find that an ergonomic office chair provides much more support than a standard one.
Are you having trouble keeping your office clean? A clean office can make it easier to focus at work and help you avoid health problems and injuries. Here are three effective office cleaning tips.
