Why You Need an Ergonomic Office Chair at the Workplace

If you have an office job, you know how important the right desk setup is to your overall productivity — and comfort. While spending seven or more hours at a desk every day doesn’t seem like it would be hard on your body, it can have a significant impact on your health. Spending days upon days hunched over a computer slows down the body’s natural lymphatic drainage, causes strain on the posterior neck muscles, increases the curvature of the spine, leads to chronic back and muscle pain, and premature spinal arthritis of the joints and discs. It also causes micro-tears which lead to the formation of scar tissue. Micro tears happen through everyday repetitive motions such as standing after sitting for a long time. The solution to this problem isn’t a new job, you need to replace your old office chair with the best ergonomic office chair!

Solutions

While this solution is in theory quite easy, we have some bad news. There is no one-fits-all ergonomic office chair. What is comfortable for one person’s body is not comfortable for another. But there are certain types of office chairs that are going to make it easier for you to maintain a healthy posture while you work, regardless of your body type or personal preferences. Not only will this improve your comfort, but it will lead to a more positive work environment and increased productivity — no more hourly breaks due to being horribly uncomfortable at your desk! Here are six things to look out for when hunting for the best ergonomic office chair.

Trying on the Chair

It is important that you physically try each chair before buying it to ensure that it fits all your major needs. The best ergonomic office chair is going to help you maintain a neutral posture. That means your feet should be flat on the floor, your needs slightly higher than your hips. Again, this looks different for everyone, so ensure that: 

• The backrest is adjustable and follows the shape of your spine as well as supports the curve in your lower back.
• The armrests are close to your body and allow your shoulders to relax
• The arm height is adjustable and matches the height of the desk. This will prevent further strain on your shoulders.
• To provide adequate support, the back of the chair should come to the middle of your shoulder blades but above the shoulders is even better!
• The seat of your chair should be long enough to put two or three finger lengths between it and your knee.
• If possible, choose an ergonomic office chair with a memory foam cushion to avoid wear and tear and make the chair that much more comfortable

Finding the best ergonomic office chair that is comfortable and keeps your body from becoming strained or injured is the key to having a happy, healthy, and productive work week. Just make sure you try out as many options as possible before making your final decision!