When someone mentions ‘ergonomic chair’ you immediately think that it must be something from the ‘Star Wars’ or maybe a university chair held by an agricultural economist. However, leaf through a dictionary and you will come to know that ergonomic is a branch of science that specifically deals with facilitating a better working environment by designing the equipment and the workplace to fit the worker. Thus, an ‘ergonomic chair’ is nothing but a chair that is designed keeping the worker in mind. This chair makes one sit at the correct posture for a long duration of time without any physical strain. Working in the office requires one to sit for long hours, which can cause stress in the spine when sitting in a traditional chair. The traditional chairs are rigid and they hinder your movement while sitting and also do not support your posture. On the other hand, ergonomic chairs relieve you from bodily stress thus ensuring that the productivity is not lessened. One of the most important benefits of the ergonomic chair is that it can be adjusted according to the height and preference of the person sitting on the chair, unlike the traditional chair. However, one thing to be kept in mind is that since ergonomic chair is a concept chair, there are many designs available, so choosing the right one can be quite a task. To help you in this, read the article below to learn more on finding a good ergonomic chair.
How To Choose An Ergonomic Chair
- The first thing to consider before buying a good ergonomic chair is the height of the seat. The height should be easily adjustable so make sure that the chair has got a pneumatic adjustment lever. For most people the typical height should be 16 to 21 inches off the floor. The person should be able to sit comfortably with the feet planted flat on the floor. The arms should lie even with the height of the desk with the thighs horizontal.
- Next, you should consider the width and depth of the seat. It should be able to accommodate the user comfortably. The depth from the front to the back should be such that the person sitting should comfortably lay his or her back on the backrest. This should leave about 2 to 4 inches between the back of the knees and the chair. The standard width should be about 17 to 20 inches.
- The seat should be adjustable so that it can be tilted forward and backward.
- Look for a lower back support as it is very important in an ergonomic chair. Since, the spine has an inward curve, and this natural curve can get flat when sitting for long periods without support, it can lead to strain in the lower spine. So, it is better that you select a chair that has got a lumber adjustment which can support the inward curve.
- See if the backrest is separate from the seat. In that case, the angle and height should be adjustable. If the seat and the backrest are in one piece then see that it can be adjusted in both forward and backward angles. It should also have a locking mechanism to prevent it from going too far back. The backrest should also be able to support the natural curve of the spine. The width of the backrest should ideally be about 12 to 19 inches.
- Now check the material with which the seat is made of. The seat of the chair and the backrest should have enough padding so that the person can sit comfortably for long periods of time. See that it is not a hard surface and go for soft cloth fabrics. Foam is also a good material.
- Armrests are very important when going for an ergonomic chair. The armrests should also be adjustable so that the person can rest his or her arms comfortably with the shoulders relaxed.
- All ergonomic chairs are characterized by the swivel. They should easily rotate so that different areas of the desk can be reached without straining.