7 Factors to Consider When Purchasing an Ergonomic Chair

What is an ergonomic chair? Well, ergonomic chairs are those that offer adjustable seat height, seat depth, and lumbar support. This means that you should be provided with the option to alter the chair’s height so that your legs are touching the floor, and the seat pan should be adjustable so that you can sit comfortably. Good lumbar support takes away adequate pressure off the lower back, allowing your spine to be in just the appropriate position for a healthy posture. In reality, an ergonomic chair is not a sort of chair in and of itself; instead, it refers to the better support that the chair gives.

If you’re thinking about buying an ergonomic chair, it means you’re concerned about your health and want to take preventative measures for better sitting. Alternatively, you may already be suffering from a condition such as back discomfort or neck pain and want to lessen the danger that comes with inappropriate sitting. Therefore, choosing an ergonomic chair is crucial to preventing health concerns in persons who work sitting.

From the standpoint of ergonomics, sitting is regarded as a specific, specialized activity that is influenced by how an individual interacts with the work environment. And when looking for ergonomic chairs, some of the factors to be considered are:

1. Table of Contents

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   Ease of Use

The chosen chair should make the user’s job easier. For example, if the user is a computer operator, armrests should be provided, and the chair would be mainly employed for that function. The chair must not make the user’s job harder, and anything in the chair that has the potential to cause discomfort for the user must be rectified.

2. Dimensions of the Seat

The chair’s height, especially if it’s an office chair, should be easily adjustable by a manual or motorized lever. For most people sitting in an office, the chair’s high point must be between 15-20 inches, allowing the user to keep their feet smooth on the flooring, stuff horizontally, and arms at the height of the desk.

3. Lumbar Support

The chair should support your lower back. And when there is no lumbar support, people tend to slouch, which strains the other structures in the lower spine. Furthermore, a lumbar adjustment should be available for this reason that the individual can make the required modifications to his sitting position.

4. Backrest

The backrest should be about 12 and 19 inches wide, and it should be able to accept the spine’s curve well. The lumbar curve is convex in the forward direction, while the thoracic curve is convex in the opposite direction, and hence, the backrest should accommodate the spine’s specific ‘s’ curve. Meanwhile, it should be movable in both forward and backward directions.

5. Armrests

When typing in an office chair, the elbows should rest on the armrest but not the forearms.

6. Swivel or Rotation

The chair must be easily rotatable so that the user will be able to reach around the workspace without straining themselves.

7. Comfort

There should be enough padding to let you sit comfortably for an extended amount of time. Also, you should remember that prolonged sitting is detrimental to one’s health, and yet when the need for prolonged sitting comes, the chair should be adequately padded.

Prolonged sitting should be avoided if possible, and it is always advisable to take frequent pauses while working. Every 45-60 minutes, one should get up, while an hourly phone reminder could nudge you. Not only do frequent breaks promote better posture, but they also ease eye strain and weariness.