As an office worker, you will undoubtedly spend a lot of time sitting at your desk, in your office chair. It doesn’t matter if you have adopted a hybrid style of working, or you are working from home full-time, you could be spending up to 8 hours a day sitting down - that adds up to 40 hours each week! Prolonged periods of sitting can lead to problematic aches and pains, or even worse, signal the start of a long-term back problem, such as sciatica. Persistent pain can have a negative effect on your work productivity and even your mental health. Both of these factors can also negatively impact your career progression and the number of sick days that you take.
So take some time to research your choice of office chair carefully, and choose one that will provide you with the support that you need. A good office chair will not only reduce bothersome aches and pains, but it will also help to prevent office fatigue.
In this article, we summarise some of the key things that you should be thinking about as you choose a top ergonomic office chair for your home office space.
1. Seat Height
A good office chair should be easily adjustable to ensure that the seat height is suited to your individual needs. Your office chair should be at the right height to ensure that your feet can be placed flat on the floor and your hips are in line with your knees. If your seat is too high, you won't be able to fit your knees under your desk, while if your seat is too low, you will be straining your neck and shoulders to reach your workstation.
Most office seats these days have a pneumatic height adjustment option. This feature allows you to make small adjustments to the seat height while you are sitting in the chair.
2. Lumbar Support
The back of your office chair should offer sufficient support to your lumbar region. Choose an office chair with an appropriately sized and shaped backrest to support your back. It is particularly important to support your lower and middle back when sitting for prolonged periods of time. A good ergonomic office chair will help to maintain your spine’s natural S-shape while allowing your arms to move freely.
3. Additional Support Features
Armrests help to provide adequate support to the muscles within your neck, shoulders and arms. They can also help you in your quest to maintain a good overall body posture while sitting at your desk. For good ergonomics, your armrests should be adjustable, allowing you to set them to the right height for your body structure. Armrests are not essential and not all office chairs have them, but their benefits are clear. Just be sure to check that your armrests don’t prevent your chosen office chair from fitting neatly under your desk!
4. Back Tilting Feature
Sitting in a static chair all day is a sure-fire way to end up with very tense and achy muscles. A good ergonomically-designed office chair should offer a back-tilting mechanism, allowing you to recline comfortably without feeling any resistance or pressure. This feature allows you to easily change positions throughout the day, to keep your muscles active and engaged. Many high-quality office chairs allow you to adjust the tension of the back tilting mechanism and lock the back in a tilted position.
5. Chair Material
From leather to mesh, to fabric - there are so many chair materials to choose from, where do you start? Well, you will want to choose a hard-wearing material to guarantee the longevity of your purchase. Mesh is a popular choice of office chair material due to its breathability, allowing air to circulate easily. There is nothing worse than ending up hot and sweaty after being sat at your desk for the day. Mesh also offers a great deal of flexibility, allowing the chair to conform to the shape of your back and offering a great deal of lumbar support. As a bonus - mesh office chairs look as good as they feel!
6. Swivel Feature
While spinning may seem like a fun feature of your office chair, the swivel function actually plays a key role in your chair’s ergonomics. It allows you to access different parts of your workstation and office easily, without having to stretch and strain. Similarly, castors provide you with greater mobility and flexibility.
How Can Flexispot Help?
How would you feel, if we told you that you can find an ergonomic office chair that meets all of these requirements and more? And it is affordably priced? I’m guessing you would be a bit shocked, but very happy! Well, guess what? Flexispot offers the perfect ergonomic office chair solution for your home office - the Flexi-Chair Oka Office Chair BS9. Comfortable, practical and stylish - the Flexi-Chair Oka Office Chair BS9 is sure to end your search for the perfect office chair!
