Top 5 tips for choosing an ergonomic office chair

Oct 1
07:10

2010

Quinlan Murray

Quinlan Murray

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The corporate heads understand that in order to be more productive, people should be able to work comfortably and efficiently.

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As more and more people spend increasing number of hours sitting at their desks,Top 5 tips for choosing an ergonomic office chair Articles the need for good ergonomics cannot be overlooked. Even corporate heads understand that in order to be more productive, people should be able to work comfortably and efficiently. Hence, support seating has become so important that many offices are choosing ergonomic office chairs for their entire pool of office staff.


How to choose an ergonomic office chair?

Just because a chair is termed as being ergonomic, it does not pass the test. To be ergonomic, the office chair must have the following characteristics.


Seat depth:

Since the world is made up of people of all sorts of sizes, office chairs must have the depth to accommodate different leg lengths. The ergonomic office chair is correctly set up when you are able to place your clenched fist between the back of your knee and the edge of the seat pad of the chair.


Adjustable height and back:

To give the user good lower back support, the ergonomic office chair must allow back height adjustment. The back should be slightly curved to give the backbone proper lower back support. Cheap chairs make use of extra lumbar foam supports but these are dangerous. Instead, a slightly curved foam back is ideal.


Arm adjustment:

Although some users prefer that their office chair has no arm support, by and large, arm support is good for the majority of users. Arm rests play a vital role in preventing or minimizing the risk of Repetitive Strain Injury. Ideally, the user’s lower arms must be level with the desktop, so that they feel comfortable using the mouse or typing on the keypad.


Seat height adjustment:

Height adjustment is also an important feature of ergonomic office chairs. Ideally, your feet should be firmly on the floor and the upper knees must be angled slightly down. For tall people, proper height adjustment is a must. On the other hand, short people may need to use footrests to get the best posture even if they are using ergonomic office chairs.


The right tilt tension:

A good ergonomic office chair allows you to adjust the tilt tension to suit your body weight. Cheap chairs respond differently to people of different weights. Thin people may feel as if they are being catapulted out of their chair when they lean forward and fat people may find it hard to lean back. The ergonomic chair allows you to adjust the tilt tension in accordance with the weight of the person using it.


The swivel motion:

If you spend long hours in your office chair, you may often feel the need to reposition your chair. Standing up and dragging your chair every time you need to move is highly uncomfortable. Swivel chairs give you plenty of mobility and flexibility.


If you are concerned about good ergonomics, keep the above points in mind.