The office chair is the most important piece of office furniture. It's where you're seated all day, every day. If your office chair isn't comfortable, you'll be constantly distracted, and your productivity and efficiency will get affected.
Not many people know that there are different types of office chairs. Most people think that office chairs have to be the way they are – uncomfortable. However, that's not true! Your office chair shouldn't make you feel uneasy or uncomfortable. If it does, know that it's not right for you.
If you constantly experience body pain and fatigue at work and come home with back pain every other day, the chances that your office chair is causing all of it are pretty high.
This blog post will light on how important it is to choose the right office chair and what features make it the best!
Why is Choosing the Right Office Chair Important?
As we've already said in the beginning, an office chair is where you sit several hours at a stretch every day, 5 days a week. If you don't use the right office chair, you'll suffer from a lot more than just discomfort.
Let's see the many reasons why choosing the right office chair is important:
Promotes Correct Posture
The best office chair is an ergonomic office chair like Ergonomic Office Chair BS7. The first and most prominent benefit of using an ergonomic office chair is that it promotes correct posture. Most people aren't aware of the fact that they sit in the wrong posture at work. They sit in a hunched posture with their backs curved and their head in a chin-out position. This posture strains the back, neck, and shoulders and puts them at risk of posture-related musculoskeletal disorders.
This is where an ergonomic office chair steps in the rescue. An ergonomic chair comes with adjustable height, seat depth features, and a flexible backrest that encourages the user to sit in the correct posture at work. This minimizes the risk of posture-related musculoskeletal disorders.
Enhances Productivity
The right office chair enhances your productivity and efficiency at work. With the right office chair, you can work comfortably, your body is well-supported, and you don't experience fatigue due to a bad posture. As a result, you can concentrate better and deliver higher quality, error-free results.
Reduces the Risk of Back Pain
Back pain is one of the most common consequences of sitting in the wrong office chair. Most office chairs have a stiff back and seat, which puts pressure on the hips and strains the back. Sitting in such a chair for long hours makes you uncomfortable and may even result in lower back pain. However, when you're seated in a comfortable, ergonomic office chair, your back is fully supported by the flexible backrest. The adjustable seat depth feature ensures that the lower back touches the backrest, providing adequate support to the lumbar region. This reduces the risk of back pain in people who've got to sit in the same posture for several hours at a stretch every day.
Promotes Good Mood
The right office chair would enhance your comfort at work. When you're comfortable, you'll be in a better mood and will also be able to perform better. If your chair isn't comfortable, you'll experience fatigue and a foul mood, and you won't even know why you feel the way you do. But with the right chair, your comfort levels are enhanced, and your mood, mental health, and productivity all skyrocket!
Features to Look for in an Office Chair
When looking for a suitable office chair, you'll come across numerous options that may leave you feeling utterly confused and overwhelmed. Not all types of chairs are suitable for everyone. Everyone has a different body type, and the chair that'll suit them will be different too.
When choosing an office chair, you should look for certain features. We've listed some of them below:
Adjustable Seat Height
The first feature that you must look for in an office chair is whether the seat's height can be adjusted or not. It's important to be able to adjust the seat's height because every individual is of a different height. A chair that's the right height for a tall individual will be too high for someone who's relatively shorter. The adjustable height feature will ensure that you're able to adjust the height according to your requirements to ensure that your feet are placed flat on the floor and aren't dangling in the air. When the feet are placed comfortably on the floor, the strain on the back and the pressure on the back of the knees is significantly reduced. Adjustable seat height also allows you to adjust the height of the chair to allow you to reach your desk's surface comfortably so that you don't have to strain your arms or shoulders.
Adjustable Seat Depth
One of the biggest problems with office chairs is the fixed seat depth. Now, individuals with a smaller physique may have to sit at the edge of the chair because if they sit with their back against the backrest, the edge of the seat may rub against the back of their knees, which is both uncomfortable and painful. Individuals with a larger physique may find the seat too small. The adjustable seat depth feature allows the user to adjust the depth of the seat according to their physique so that they can sit with their back comfortably resting against the backrest without the edge of the seat rubbing against the back of the knees.
Adjustable Backrest
If the backrest is too straight, it may result in the user sitting with the back being too stiff. If the backrest is too inclined, the user will have to awkwardly raise their neck to see the computer screen. In both cases, the user will strain their neck, shoulders, and back. For this reason, you should choose an office chair with an adjustable backrest so that you can adjust the incline as per your comfort and requirements.
Lumbar Support
The best office chairs are the ones with lumbar support. In most office chairs, the backrest is curved, but it doesn't offer support to the lumbar region. Lack of lumbar support is the leading cause of back pain. So, when choosing an office chair, make sure you choose a chair that offers lumbar support.
Armrests
Another important feature that you must look for in an office chair is adjustable armrests. When you rest your elbows on armrests, you're effectively taking the stress off the shoulders and neck. With your elbows relaxed your shoulders and neck can also relax. Armrests can help prevent neck and shoulder stiffness and pain. The reason we suggest you opt for a chair with adjustable armrests is the fact that if the armrests aren't adjustable, you won't be able to pull your chair too close to the desk and you’ll have to sit at the edge of the seat to use your keyboard and view your computer screen, leaving your back with no support. With adjustable armrests, you can pull the armrests up and bring your chair closer to the desk.
Swivel
By turning your body at the waist to reach shelves or cabinets on either side of your desk, you strain your back which increases the risk of back pain and posture-related musculoskeletal disorders. If you've got to fetch things around and often turn and twist at your waist, you must choose an office chair with a swivel feature. A swiveling chair enhances your mobility at work without the need of you having to leave your chair or turn and twist too often.
Padding
Since you'll be sitting in an office chair for long hours, it's important that you choose a chair with sufficient padding. Padded seats are far more comfortable than those without padding. Wooden, plastic, or aluminum chairs without padding may look nice, but they can be very uncomfortable.
Final Word
Office chairs are, without a doubt, essential office equipment. The right office chair can bring out the best in you. You'll be the most productive and dedicated at work if you're comfortable, and comfortable only comes when you've got the right office chair.
Most offices have now made it a standard practice to provide all employees with ergonomic chairs. However, for employees who work remotely and use any chair or stool available at home as an office chair, it's critically important that they invest in the right office chair today and safeguard their health and well-being!
