Does your work require you to sit in front of your desk for hours on end until you become one with your office chair and your back starts aching? Well, millions of people across the world face this issue as a desk job typically requires you to spend upwards of 6 working hours sitting in a chair, resulting in neck and backaches and poor posture. It’s why it becomes essential for you to invest in a top-quality ergonomic office chair to ensure optimal health and comfort.
That said, more often than not, people tend to overuse the same chair for years on end to the point that it becomes detrimental to their health. You can prevent this from happening by timely investing in a new and modern ergonomic office chair.
So, without any ado, let’s explore eleven signs that indicate you need a new office chair STAT:
11 Signs Suggesting You Should Invest in a New Ergonomic Office Chair
Here are some compelling signs you should replace your old office chair with a new one:
Persistent Back, Neck, and Leg Pain
If your office chair has become too worn, it will not support your neck and back properly, and its ergonomic features will stop working. Thus, the muscles in those parts of your body will suffer from fatigue from sitting in a bad chair for long hours each day, leading to chronic pain. Plus, if you’re unable to adjust the adjustable height feature in the chair, it will cause your leg muscles to strain, causing you to suffer from pain.
After all, height adjustment is a basic yet useful feature of an ergonomic chair. The ability to adjust the height allows you to adjust it according to your own height. If you are unable to do that, it will strain your neck as you won’t be able to look at your screen at the right angle. You can fix this by investing in a new ergonomic chair for back pain.
Poor Posture
Poor office chairs don’t offer good lumbar support, and the curve of their backrest doesn’t align with your spinal curve. It’s why people who don’t invest in top-quality ergonomic chairs for work tend to suffer from compromised postures in the long run.
So, if your office chair doesn’t offer sufficient lumbar support, it will result in back pain and poor posture due to slouching, which will also affect your work performance. Investing in an ergonomic chair will change things greatly as it will offer you adjustable lumbar support and a decent backrest.
Insufficient Seat Padding
Most office chairs don’t have proper padding on the seat, arms, or back. If a chair features appropriate padding, it feels more comfortable and soft, making it easier to sit on it for long hours. On the other hand, a chair with insufficient padding will feel hard to the touch and remain stiff.
Prolonged hours sitting in such a chair will certainly not result in a comfortable work experience. It might help if you change your chair and invest in a modern one with sufficient padding.
Limited Ergonomic Adjustable Features
A modern ergonomic office chair typically has multiple ergonomic, adjustable features that offer you the optimal sitting experience and minimize health issues you might face from sitting in the chair for hours.
If your current office chair doesn’t have ergonomic features, such as an adjustable headrest, lumbar support, armrests, 360 swivel feature, and more, perhaps you will benefit from a modern ergonomic chair. It’s especially true if you sit in your chair for long hours. The ergonomic chair can improve your sitting experience and boost your productivity while benefiting your health.
Limited Weight Capacity
A high-quality office chair offers a greater weight capacity that is around 400-500 pounds. These chairs often look big and tall, and their build quality is top-notch, making it possible for them to support the maximum weight. If you notice that your current office chair’s weight capacity is limited and it squeaks under your weight or is generally not comfortable to sit in, look for a chair that offers a better weight capacity.
Unstable Chair
If your office chair is not stable when you sit on it, you will not be able to feel comfortable while working, which will affect your work quality and cause you to remain distracted. Investing in a sturdy and stable chair will help you focus your energy on your work. A stable chair will also support your posture and result in a more comfortable sitting experience.
Poor Castle Wheel Movement
If the caster wheels of your office chair have stopped moving smoothly, it’s indicating that your chair is nearing its retirement. If the wheels of your office chair are compromised, it will impact its mobility and compromise its overall quality.
If the floor is hard, the caster wheels have to roll smoothly, or it will put extra pressure on your legs when you try moving the wheels. It might lead to leg muscle strain in the long run. To prevent this from happening, invest in a new ergonomic office chair with smooth-functioning wheels.
Flattened Seat Cushion
Old office chairs typically have super flattened seats since the foam in the seat begins to compress and becomes flat over time. Your seat cushion plays a vital role in supporting your posture and keeping body and backaches at bay.
With a compressed cushion, your body weight will have less support, putting undue stress on your lower back, which will have far-reaching consequences in your everyday life. Show some love to your back and replace your old chair with a new office chair with a fully cushioned seat.
No or Poorly Functioning Armrests
Office chairs without armrests are less ergonomic as they have no space for you to rest your elbows while sitting on the chair and working on your computer. The lack of proper support results in avoidable arm muscle strain if you work for prolonged hours.
Similarly, an office chair with improperly spaced or poorly functioning armrests is equally inadequate if you have a desk job with long hours. You need a modern ergonomic office chair with movable, stable, and cushioned armrests to support your elbows and keep arm pain at bay. Such a chair will also improve your overall sitting experience.
No Swivel Feature
Some people believe that the swivel option is an unnecessary addition to an office chair. However, I firmly believe that the swivel feature is a useful aspect of any office chair as it allows you to turn your chair in whatever direction you want.
It allows you to coordinate with your colleagues, pick nearby things on your workstation by rotating your chair, and promote productivity. It prevents you from turning your chair by force or getting in an awkward position to talk to a colleague who’s standing beside or behind you while you’re sitting in your chair. So, if your chair doesn’t have this feature, consider investing in one that does have it.
Your Old Chair Doesn’t Feel Right Anymore
Sometimes, you don’t need an evident reason to replace your old chair. If your chair doesn’t feel comfortable or “right” anymore, it’s time to change it and invest in a new, top-quality ergonomic chair.
It’s especially true for people who work desk jobs with long hours.
If your chair has been affecting your work, adding to your body aches, and isn’t doing its designated job perfectly, you need to change it. You have to prioritize your health and posture to ensure optimal productivity and comfort at work and improve your overall quality of life.
After all, people spend a lot of money on choosing the right mattress to ensure quality sleep every night. It only makes sense to invest in a top-of-the-line ergonomic office chair to ensure an optimal sitting experience at work. Your body will certainly thank you for investing in a premium-quality work chair as it will put significantly less strain on it.
The Bottom Line
An ergonomic office chair will create a world of difference in how you approach your work, improve your posture, keep body ache at bay, and enhance your work experience. That said, there’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to ergonomic work chairs. You will need to find one that works for you the best. So, it’s high time to listen to your body and if your old chair has been giving you nothing but pain recently, look for better, newer, and more ergonomic options.
If you’re exploring the market for the finest ergonomic office chairs that will offer you the optimal sitting experience and make your work hours easier on your body, browse FlexiSpot’s collection of ergonomic work chairs. We will help you choose the perfect chair that will suit all your needs. Visit FlexiSpot today to explore our ergonomic, modern, and durable office chairs!
