Working in an office usually involves spending a lot of time sitting in an office chair, a position that adds stress to the structures of the spine. Therefore, to avoid developing or aggravating back problems, it is important to have an office chair that is ergonomic and supports the lower back and promotes good posture.
What type of ergonomic office chair is best?
There are many types of ergonomic chairs available for use in the office. No one type of office chair is necessarily the best, but there are a few things that are very important to look for in a good ergonomic office chair. These things will allow the individual user to make the chair work well for their specific needs.
What features should a good ergonomic office chair have?
When considering the “conventional” style of office chair first, there are a number of things an ergonomic chair should have, including:
- Seat material: The material of the seat and back of the office chair should have enough padding to make it comfortable to sit on for long periods of time. Having a fabric weave that breathes is preferable to a harder surface.
- Seat height: The seat height of the office chair should be easily adjustable. A pneumatic adjustment lever is the easiest way to do this. A seat height between 16 and 21 inches from the floor should work for most people. This allows the user to have their feet flat on the floor, with their thighs horizontal and their arms at desk height.
- Width and depth of the seat: The seat should be of sufficient width and depth to comfortably support any user. Usually the standard is 17 to 20 inches wide. The depth (front to back of the seat) should be enough so that the user can sit with their back against the back of the ergonomic office chair and leave approximately 2-4 inches between the back of the knees and the seat. of the chair The forward or backward tilt of the seat must be adjustable.
- lumbar support: Lower back support in an ergonomic chair is very important. The lumbar spine curves inward, and sitting for long periods without support for this curve tends to slouch (flattening the natural curve) and stresses the structures of the lower spine. An ergonomic chair should have lumbar adjustment (both height and depth) so that each user can get the proper fit to support the inward curve of the lower back.
- Back: The back of an ergonomic office chair should be between 12 and 19 inches wide. If the backrest is separated from the seat, it must be adjustable in height and angle. It must be able to support the natural curve of the spine, again paying particular attention to proper support of the lower back. If the office chair has the seat and back together as one piece, the back should be adjustable in forward and backward angles, with a locking mechanism to prevent it from moving back too far once the angle has been determined by the user. appropriate.