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WHAT MAKES A DESK CHAIR ERGONOMIC?

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Sitting down, especially for hours and hours at a time, can cause strain on our bodies. This problem can be exacerbated by low-quality office chairs that don’t offer the right support. Below we have listed out some of the main features that make an ergonomic office chair, and why these are an essential feature of any workplace.

ADJUSTABLE SEAT HEIGHT, WIDTH & DEPTH

Adjustable dimensions are critical for an ergonomic office chair to support your posture; especially since everyone is slightly different and will have different needs regarding lumbar support, seat height and positioning. The optimal seat height should allow you to place your feet flat on the floor, and the proper seat depth should leave between 2 and 4 inches between the edge of the seat and the back of your knees.

SEAT TILT

Good ergonomic chairs will allow the seat to tilt, which in turn allows for correct positioning of the pelvis. An ‘anterior pelvic tilt’ is a postural problem that impacts almost everyone who performs a sedentary role such as office workers, which is why it’s necessary to keep the pelvis in a neutral position whilst sitting.

BACKREST LUMBAR SUPPORT

Lumbar support is an essential feature of an ergonomic chair. Ergonomic chairs support the natural ‘S’ shape of the spine, which helps to prevent unnecessary stress on the spine and the pelvis. An adjustable backrest allows users to align the curve in the chair with the curve in their spine for optimal support.

SWIVEL

The swivel in an ergonomic chair is an important feature that helps users with manoeuvrability. It does so by making it much easier to reach different points of a desk without having to strain.

ARMRESTS & HEADRESTS

Armrests reduce tension in the upper body by allowing the shoulders to relax. A good quality headrest supports the back of the head and upper neck, therefore reducing tension in the shoulders and upper torso. Both are important features of a high-quality, ergonomic office chair.

CHAIR MATERIALS

Comfortable materials should always be used in ergonomic office chairs. Materials that are comfortable and help prevent sweating on the back, such as leather or mesh fabric. You can browse our range of leather office chairs here. For our full range of office chairs, you can also visit our chairs category page.

WHEELS

Finally, the type of office environment the chair will sit in should have an impact on what kind of wheels you look for in the office chair because different wheels will suit different situations. If your chair is on a hard surface, find a chair with soft rubber wheels. If your workplace is carpeted, opt for harder/ wider wheels to help you navigate better.

That concludes this brief blog on what features make an office chair ergonomic. An ergonomic office chair needs to be built for comfort and encouraging proper posture; this needs to be seen in all of the chair’s features, from the wheels to the fabrics used. You can browse our range of Ergonomic Office Chairs online here if you’re looking for a comfortable, high-quality office chair today.

Victoria Vaughan