Choosing the Right Office Chair
What to look for when choosing an office chair? After-all, if you’re buying an office chair from an on-line store you can’t try them out for size and comfort first but there are some things which you need to consider so that you end up with a chair suitable for your needs.
Most of the office chairs sold are Operator Chairs or Managers Chairs and you will hear that office chairs need to be ergonomic, but what exactly is an ergonomic chair? Put simply, an ergonomic chair should provide support for your body in a variety of postures and should facilitate a degree of movement and change of posture. The key area to support is the spine, ensuring the stress on the spine is minimised and the natural ‘S’ curve maintained and blood circulation in the thighs is not constricted.
There are many features available when purchasing your office chairs all of which are designed to improve comfort for the user;
Seat Height Adjustment
Arguably the most important feature a chair should have. Adjust your seat height until your feet are flat on the floor without causing too much pressure on your thighs which could restrict blood flow.
Backrest, Lumbar Support
The backrest needs to be appropriately sized and sufficient to support the middle and lower back, maintaining the natural ‘S’ shape. More adjustable chairs will have a height adjustable back support to accommodate users of differing heights.
Backrest Tilt
A tilting backrest allows you to recline your backrest to the optimum angle. Ideally your back should be around 100 degree angle from your thighs, this encourages an open posture improving breathing.
Swivel
A very important feature, even if you have a chair on castors, you need a swivelling seat pad to avoid twisting your back when reaching behind or getting in and out of your chair.
Seat Depth
Some of the better chairs have depth adjustable seats which are ideal to ensure you sit right at the back of the chair to get the most out of your lumbar support.
Arm Rests
Aren’t strictly necessary for short periods of use but for prolonged periods they are essential as they will support the weight of your arms. Ideally look for height adjustable arm but be careful to adjust the arms so that you can sit up close to the desk as otherwise you’ll end up reaching forward or sitting on the edge of the chair seat, both of which would be bad for your posture and negate the benefits of the lumbar support and cause pressure on the thighs.
Your choice of office chair may be determined by your budget but you can rest assured that all our chairs are made by leading manufacturers such as Adroit, Influx, Sonix and Trexus and all comply with Health and Safety standards and fire retardancy standards.
