A widespread misconception that is prevalent among people, including office workers, is that office chairs and ergonomic chairs have no difference. However, this is, in fact, untrue, and there’s a pretty monumental difference between the two types of chairs, and it’s quite important for people – particularly office workers – to know this difference to help them decide which chair they should purchase based on their specific needs.
Difference Between Ordinary Office Chairs and Ergonomic Chairs
In a nutshell, there are several differences between an ordinary office chair and an ergonomic chair. Although standard conventional office chairs are designed to help office workers stay comfortable for long hours of work, ergonomic chairs have the upper hand when it comes to the health side of things.
One of these differences, which may seem to hold more weight for office workers than other differences, is customisation. What we mean here by the term “customisation” is the ability to adjust things in the chair according to your requirements. Ergonomic chairs generally have more adjustment options which can make the very difference between a person maintaining a good posture even after long hours of sitting and someone's posture worsening with time. These adjustable positions include head adjustments, armrest adjustments, back adjustments and more!
Normal chairs, on the contrary, usually have fixed positions on their chairs – and this forces office workers to adapt their bodies to these positions; instead of having the option to choose the positions that suit them best.
The only customisable option an ordinary office chair has is the height adjustment option – but this doesn’t really make a difference to a person’s posture and neck!
In addition to having adjustments in the chair (which helps with back support and prevention of bad posture), ergonomic chairs also come with lumbar support. This is ideal for helping to position the body in the perfect way, thus decreasing the chances of inadequate blood circulation in the body, and all potential health problems.
Which Chair is Ideal For An Office Worker – Normal Office Chair or Ergonomic?
So, which chair is better from the two types mentioned in this article? Well, although typical office chairs are slightly cheaper than ergonomic chairs, we highly recommend looking for ergonomic chairs. And this is because they will prove to be far more beneficial when it comes to reducing backaches, minimising chances of facing unnecessary health problems which can otherwise be experienced when using ordinary chairs!
Here are a few important things that ergonomic chairs most importantly help with
● Promoting proper posture while sitting
● Preventing pains and aches
● Helping to focus and maintain productivity
● Preventing unnecessary stress due to pain
● Helping avoid absences due to injuries
Is it Worth Transitioning From an Ordinary Office Chair to an Ergonomic Chair?
Now you may be wondering, is there really a point in transitioning from an ordinary chair to an ergonomic chair? Well, the answer to that depends. If you are someone that works for long hours, you will be better off investing in an ergonomic chair. This is simply because when you sit for long hours every day, there is a possibility of your body developing health problems such as the ones mentioned above. Although traditional office chairs are designed for long hours of work, they just aren’t equipped with the right features that are required to minimise the possibilities of unpleasant outcomes that one can experience due to long hours of sitting.
That said, if you are someone who works at home for a few hours a day or doesn’t spend too long in the office, the normal office chair should be perfect for you!