How to Choose an Ergonomic Office Chair For Your Employees
Having an ergonomic office chair is all-important when it comes to your workplace wellbeing. After all, most office workers spend hours sat down at their desks every day.
That can lead to a whole host of problems when the appropriate ergonomic support isn’t in play. You’re more likely to suffer from back pain, poor blood circulation, and diabetes to name just a few. Heck, according to the same source, sitting for too long in these chairs could even limit your lifespan.
By contrast, using a chair that’s purpose-built to support your body can make an almighty difference. Not only will it help you avoid those negative outcomes, but it’ll actively facilitate your health at work. You’ll feel comfortable, energized, and become more productive in the process.
The tricky bit is choosing the best ergonomic chairs for the job! Want some help in that regard? Read on to discover the key considerations for picking the best ergonomic office chair possible.
The User
The very first thing to think about is who’s going to be using the chair itself. Now, this is less of an issue when you’re buying it for personal use! You know your measurements and requirements and can choose a suitable seating solution as a result.
But think about an employer who has an entire office full of people to consider. These guys need to pick a chair that’s well-suited to everybody in their team (not to mention all future hires). In other words, for six-foot Sally to be as happy as five-foot Frederick, the ergonomic chair has to cater to different heights, sizes, and shapes.
Keep that in mind when you’re shopping around. Make sure the chairs in question would a) be comfortable for everyone and b) adjust to suit different body types.
The Level of Adjustability
That word, ‘adjust’, is another primary factor to think about when making your choice. The ergonomic office chair(s) you purchase should be fully adjustable in almost every area.
From the seat height and backrest to the arm and headrests, it should all adjust! Only then can somebody fit it to their exact physiological specifications. Only then can an employer purchase one type of chair to suit their entire team.
Furthermore, try to find a chair that makes that adjustability easy. You shouldn’t have to struggle to find the perfect seat height or catch your fingers when altering the armrest. You want it to be straight-forward and no-nonsense.
The Ability to Tilt/Recline
There’s nothing better than sitting in a reclining chair, right? You can lean back, relax, and enjoy a more comfortable seating position throughout the day!
However, the reason it’s so comfortable is because this rearward tilt takes the pressure off your lower back. As soon as you recline the chair you take some weight off your lumbar region. That’s good news for both your back muscles and spinal discs when you’re sitting down for a long time.
Don’t stop there though.
Buying a chair that reclines is one thing. But the best ones can be fixed into position. Rather than leaning backward and forward all the time, you recline the chair, find a position that’s most comfortable, and lock it there.
The Back Support
Inadequate seating solutions offer insufficient support to the lumber, mid and upper back. People end up slouching, flattening the natural curve of their spine, and developing serious pain in the process. Sit in these chairs for long enough and you can suffer longstanding damage.
That’s why ergonomic chairs are, in large part, designed to protect peoples’ backs above anything else. The ones you buy should have a wide backrest that keeps the back in its natural position. Remember, it has to support each and every part of the back- especially the lumbar area. You can visit Vertos Medical Dallas if you want to learn more about the lumbar area and lumbar spinal stenosis.
In an ideal world, you’d be able to adjust the chair to match the curves of your back.
The Ability to Swivel
Shocking as it might be, the ability to swivel from side to side in everyday office chairs isn’t there just for fun! It plays another key role in ergonomics:
That swivel-ability helps you reach the different parts of your desk without twisting your spine and overstraining. Without it, you’d have to rely on your body to do all the work, which could lead to trouble with time and repetition.
The implication? The chairs you purchase must be able to rotate from left to right with ease.
The Arm & Footrests
Another important ergonomic element is to do with the armrests. They need to be fully adjustable so people can alter their height. Seated upright in the chair, your elbows should sit at your side and rest gently on the armrest without putting a hunch in your shoulders.
Alas, that isn’t always possible with fixed armrests.
Consider the footrests too. For smaller people, having somewhere to rest their feet could be a crucial attribute. Instead of their legs hanging off the chair, they’ll be well-supported and kept in the ideal seating position.
The Comfort Level
It almost goes without saying that any office chair you buy needs to be comfortable too!
The good news is that ergonomics and comfort tend to go hand in hand. If you buy the best ergonomic chair you can afford, then comfort is almost guaranteed.
Nevertheless, don’t take that for granted. Test out a wide range of chairs for yourself to find the comfiest one for the job. Materials that breathe and memory foam cushions can both help in this regard (you can read more about the latter at https://www.everlastingcomfort.net/blogs/comfy-reads/memory-foam-10-things-every-office-worker-should-know).
Time to Choose an Ergonomic Office Chair
With your physical health on the line, having ergonomic office chairs at work is crucial. It’s the only way to avoid a host of negative outcomes that can arise from being seated all day!
Unfortunately, choosing the best chair for your needs isn’t easy when you don’t know what to look for. Hopefully, though, the information in this post will help in that regard. Keep these considerations in mind and you’ll be one step closer to finding the best ergonomic office chair for your needs.
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