Do I need an Ergonomic Chair?
If you have ever worked in an office setting, then you are probably extremely familiar with the feeling after sitting in the same chair for 8 or 9 hours. First, your lower back begins to tighten-up and cramp. Next, your neck and shoulders also begin tightening as the tension spreads throughout your entire back. By the time your shift is over, practically your entire body is aching. You come in day-after-day, putting in the same long hours, totally ignoring poor quality office chair you that has become your worst enemy in the office.
Now, of course getting up to stretch is something you should be doing regularly. If nothing else, it gives you an excuse to take a few extra breaks over the course of the day. However, an ergonomic chair, coupled with proper exercise of course, would go a long way towards alleviating chronic back issues related to work. Heck, the right chair may even help you leave work with a positive attitude for once.
What Exactly Is An Ergonomic Office Chair
The OSHA or Occupational Safety and Health Administration indicates that a solid chair is one that provides support for your buttocks, legs, back, and arms. You want less contact stress, no awkward postures or forceful exertions when you sit in a chair. You want a chair that will give you the right support and one that’s going to be adjustable to meet your needs.
When you have a chair that doesn’t support the lower back when you sit, you tend to slouch over. When you slouch all day, you can get backaches neck pain, headaches and otherwise not feel very good because the chair you sit in for long hours is not giving you the support that you need. Dr. Brock Walker who is a specialist in disorders of the musculoskeletal indicates that you need good lower back support for endurance, optimal concentration, and for overall good health. When you use an ergonomic chair, it keeps the spine in proper alignment and also supports the forward tilt of your pelvis. You get better posture as a result when you use an ergonomic chair. No matter what chair you have whether it’s ergonomic or not, you should avoid slouching to avoid issues with back pain and other pain. An ergonomic chair is the best option to avoid pain issues.
Ergonomic is a word that gets used an awful lot. Simply put, it is an office chair that is going to support the user’s musculoskeletal system. Not only is it going to reduce the overall stress on the user’s joints and muscles, but it will help prevent repetitive stress injuries by making movement easier. Buying the right ergonomic chair is really a simple decision, as it will not only increase your productivity, but not having to deal with constant pain and physical stress will also reduce your overall mental stress.
Benefits of an Ergonomic Chair
Better Posture
A good ergonomic chair can support your posture. A traditional chair tends to make you slouch more often. An ergonomic chair can address issues with back pain in the best way. The backrest and the headrest can give you the right support so you don’t slouch and you maintain the right posture while you sit in a chair. These chairs can also be adjusted to meet all of your needs so you can find the best and most comfortable position for you. In many cases, an ergonomic chair can reduce or even eliminate back pain issues that you have.
More Comfort
An ergonomic chair is going to be more comfortable for you. There are many features on an ergonomic chair that you can adjust so you can tailor the chair for you. There are usually multiple adjustment features for ergonomic chairs so they are well suited to different body types. You can play with adjustment features until you find the best positions and settings for your needs.
Less Neck Pain
When you don’t have neck support while you sit in a chair for a long tie, you may develop neck stiffness as well as shoulder stiffness. Ergonomic chairs have headrests so you get the right support for your neck and head. If you sit all day at a desk chair, a good ergonomic chair can help you reduce instances of neck and shoulder pain.
Less Back Pain
An ergonomic chair will provide proper back support as they support the natural curve of the spine. These chair support both the upper and the lower back area. Some chairs can recline so you can rest at a 90-degree angle if you prefer. Many ergonomic chairs have multiple settings for back support so you can find the most comfortable position.
Less Pressure on the Hips
A hard chair seat can put pressure on your hips. An ergonomic chair will produce less pressure so you will feel more comfortable and won’t get as much buttock pain, knee pain or leg pain because you have a comfortable seat.
Work is Easier
Since ergonomic chairs are adjustable, it makes work much easier. You can adjust the chair for different activities that you might be performing at your desk. Many ergonomic chairs also swivel so you don’t have to get up all the time when in your chair. You will be able to sit for longer with an ergonomic chair and get more done because you will be comfortable.
Components of an Ergonomic Chair
Unlike a normal chair, the ergonomic variety is built using various parts and specific structures to help reduce stress and discomfort. People often forget that sitting in a chair is not something that is natural for the body. The body does best when operating from the standing position, or when lying completely flat. A quality ergonomic chair will work to reduce the physical stress and pressure that sitting places on specific joints and muscle groups. Each chair includes a specific emphasis on certain design elements.
The Seat: The best quality chairs have seats that mold to fit the natural contours of the users body. This promotes healthy blood flow. If you have ever had your legs or posterior fall asleep while sitting in an office chair, you know how important this can be.
Lumbar Support: Lumbar support is something that many people find confusing. Simply put, the lower back should be able to move back as much as possible. This permits the upper back to straighten as much as possible. Active support means that the portion of the chair is user adjustable, while passive means that the lumbar support portion of the unit is fixed in place.
Seat Height Adjustment: It is important that when sitting in a chair the feet are allowed to touch the ground. It is also important that the knees are not forced into an overly bent position. The seat height adjustment makes sure both of these are possible by allowing the seat to move up and down.
Seat Slider: This portion of the chair controls the angle of the seat portion. This is more of a personal preference then an optimization aspect.
Armrests: When the arms are not allowed to rest at a 90 degree angle it begins to put unnecessary stress on the shoulders, elbows, and hands. A quality armrest provides the proper amount of support. When the armrests are adjustable, it takes the needs of the user into account and allows for personalization.
Neck Rests
Some chairs have neck rests that will cradle the head so you remain comfortable while sitting in the chair and these are also fully adjustable to get the right level of comfort.
Summary
An ergonomic chair can help you feel comfortable while at work. These chairs reduce instances of pain and can allow you to work for longer hours without a lot of fatigue developing. If you suffer from pain issues at work, you should look into ergonomic chairs as they are can help reduce or eliminate pain issues and make you feel better overall during the day as you work. There are many different chairs on the market and plenty of options to meet all of your needs.