There is a huge variety of attractive and practical desk chairs on the market either with or without wheels.
Whether or not you opt for a chair with wheels, there are other important metrics to consider before you commit to your purchase.
Also known as ‘castors’, desk chair wheels make a huge difference in terms of how your body experiences sitting. Many of us spend up to a 1 third of our lives sitting at our desks, so it is important to consider every aspect of your office chair to ensure that your body gets the flexibility and support that it needs.
This article will discuss the reasons why desk chairs have wheels in the first place, and how your wheeled desk chair should be used for optimal health outcomes. We will take a look at the physical make up of the castor wheel, and how different types of castor can affect your experience depending on your office environment.
The Reason Desk Chairs Have Wheels
Desk chairs have wheels because they provide the sitter with mobility. In small office spaces, you can easily slide over to the printer or filing cabinet without standing up, and this is a large part of the appeal with chairs with wheels.
However, sliding up and down the office is not how wheeled desk chairs are intended to be used.
For optimal health, you should aim to stand for at least 2 hours per day, and walk to the filing cabinet or printer as much as possible. Desk chair wheels are installed to support the small movements you make at your desk such as reaching, turning, stretching, and so on.
In addition to the swivel function, wheels provided additional flexibility so the chair moves in rhythm with your body movements. As we all move differently, this additional mobility can make a huge difference to your health.
Additional benefits of desk chairs with wheels include:
- Adaptable to all flooring types
- Maneuverability increases blood circulation
- Provides a firm foundation for sitting
- Greater variety to choose from
- Greater ergonomic support
- Adjustable arms and back panels
The Disadvantages of Desk Chairs with Wheels
The main disadvantage of desk chairs with wheels is the temptation to roll over to the coffee machine instead of getting up and walking.
In most offices, the coffee machine and other essential machinery are usually stationed too far away from your desk to roll there, but if you work in a small office space or from home, then you could find yourself sitting for much longer than is considered healthy.
If this is the case and a desk chair with wheels is not the right choice for you and your environment, then you may want to opt for an active seating chair instead.
Active seating chairs can:
- Release shoulder and back tension
- Encourage more movement throughout the day
- Strengthen your core muscles
- Improve your posture
Active seating chairs offer the same benefits as chairs with wheels, but without wheels. They are flexible, adjust to your movements, and encourage you to get up and move about frequently throughout the day.
Why Ergonomic Chairs Have Wheels
Ergonomic chairs have wheels because of the additional flexibility that wheeled chairs provide. Ergonomic chairs usually feature 5 wheels at the base, as this is the optimal number of wheels a chair needs to maximize comfort and balance.
Wheels will also slide effortlessly over wooden, concrete, carpeted, or stone floors without affecting the sitter's joints or posture.
Ergonomic chairs are an optimized version of a desk chair that provides greater adjustability to the user. Wheels are essential for ergonomic chairs to provide that function, helping to reduce aches and pains in the legs and preventing more serious health complications such as deep vein thrombosis.
Do Casters Matter?
As previously mentioned, the castor refers to the mount, stem, and wheel of an office chair. It may be the least glamorous part of an office chair, but the type of castor your chair has can have an impact on its flexibility and maneuverability that can take a toll on your body.
The castors directly affect how well your chair can roll. Selecting a chair with the right castors depends on:
- How the chair will be used
- How often the chair will be used
- What type of flooring you have
If you intend to use your chair frequently and have harder floors, then opt for a chair higher-quality castors made from polished aluminium for a smoother roll.
Flexible ergonomic chairs such as the Back Support Ergonomic Office OC13 are a perfect example of the modern ergonomic chair with adjustable seating a smooth aluminium castors. The castors on this chair offers even weight distribution no matter your size or what kind of flooring you have.
Good quality castors also last longer. They greatly enhance the life cycle of your desk chair, especially if you use your chair daily on hard floors.
Do You Need a Chair with Wheels?
Of course, everyone is free to choose a chair without wheels, but you will not benefit from the additional comfort that can be afforded to you with a wheeled chair.
In some cases, wheeled chairs are not required, such as in a meeting room, a waiting room or for any other function that only requires you to sit for brief periods of time infrequently.
Therefore when you design your home office or a larger office for multiple employees, you need to think carefully about how the seating will be used and for what purpose.
Collaborative Working Areas
Joint office spaces with hot desks and break out tables will require the ability to adjust chairs and free movement. Here, adjustable chairs with wheels are the most beneficial purchase to keep those aches and pains a bay
Home Office
Home offices tend to be much smaller than corporate offices with everything in reach. A wheeled chair works well here, but you may be tempted to roll everywhere instead of standing.
Board Rooms and Waiting Areas
Although it is perfectly fine to have wheeled chairs in these spaces they are not necessary because chairs in these rooms are used infrequently. Therefore you can choose from a variety of non-wheeled chairs suitable for your needs.
