Working in an office nowadays requires you to spend long hours sitting in your chair. Putting aside all the harmful effects of sitting for long periods, sitting in a chair also puts stress on your body and your spine, which doubles the downsides.
To avoid developing back problems, you need to have a chair that's comfortable to sit in and has an ergonomic design. Ergonomic chairs can support your lower back, give you good posture and thus prevent problems like musculoskeletal disorders, strains, and injuries.
But knowing that you need an ergonomic chair isn't enough. You also need to know how to choose the right ergonomic chair for your specific needs.
Since everyone's body is different, what's good for you would also be different.
Features of a Good Ergonomic Chair
Knowing what features a good ergonomic chair has is the first step in picking one out for yourself.
No one chair is perfect, or the best, but some things are important and should be a part of every office chair. These features help you adjust and condition the chair to fit your needs and work the way you want it to.
Seat Height Adjustment
The chair height for an office chair should always have an adjustment option. Most chairs do have this, and many people are also quite aware of this. What they probably don't know is why this is important.
Seat height is necessary for maintaining good posture. When you're sitting at your desk, your feet should be flat on the floor, and your thighs horizontal. Your arms should be by your side and bent at your elbow at 90 degrees.
This posture is only possible if you have a seat that has the right height. A seat that's too high or too low will result in unnecessary pressure and tension in your muscles which can cause pains everywhere.
Seat height is one of the factors that can easily cause problems in all parts of your body, over the long run.
Most ergonomic chairs have adjustable heights from 16 to 21 inches off the ground since this is what works for most people. If you are on the shorter or taller side, you may want to look around more for chairs that have greater adjustment options or use supplementary items like a footrest or a heightening cushion.
Seat Width & Depth
Another feature that chairs should have (and do!) is an appropriate seat width and depth. While these are usually stagnant, since it would be difficult to design a chair that can vary, most chairs are designed to be wide and deep enough to support anyone who sits in it.
Office chairs are often around 17 to 20 inches wide to allow for most people to use the chair. The depth of the chair refers to how far out it extends from the backrest. Chairs should have enough depth to let people sit with their backs against the back of the chair, while their knees are at least 2 to 3 inches away from the seat of the chair.
It's also best to allow the tilt of the seat to be adjustable so people can relax while they sit and find a comfortable position.
When looking for a chair for yourself, make sure the width and depth are appropriate given your body stature and requirements.
Lumbar Support
Lower back support is extremely important for your office chairs. The lumbar region is the lower back, and it curves inwards. When you sit for a longer period of time without any support, you end up slouching and this causes the natural curve to get distorted.
Don't worry, slouching over won't cause any major problems immediately - but if you don't fix your posture and keep slouching, it may! Whenever you realize you're slouching or hunching, sitting up straight is a good idea.
However, it's much better to simply get a chair that provides the support you need to sit without ending up slouching. Good ergonomic chairs have good lumbar support that is also adjustable so that anyone who sits on it can get the right kind of support to fit the curve of their back.
A tall person, for example, would need lumbar support at a different height than a short person, and chairs should account for these differences in body type.
Backrest
The backrest of a good ergonomic office chair is one that is wide enough to provide support to all users, as well as adjustable in terms of height and angle (if it is separate from the seat). Most chairs have a backrest that is about 12 to 20 inches wide, though height can vary.
The backrest should allow you to recline at some angle and should have enough tilt for you to be able to relax against it. The backrest should also come with proper lumbar support and curve with the spine, rather than be completely vertical.
Many chairs come with backrests that are adjustable in angles and have a locking mechanism that allows you to lock the angle so you don't end up going too far back.
When looking for a chair for yourself, make sure to try it out and see if it provides enough lumbar support for you. Chairs that do not have adjustable backrests will sometimes not fit certain body types which can make it more uncomfortable.
Material
You'd think the material of the chair wouldn't matter when it comes to ergonomics, but you'd be wrong!
While it seems like the material is just the composition of the chair, it can affect your comfort. For example, if a chair doesn't have enough padding, you wouldn't be able to sit comfortably on it for longer periods of time, and hard surfaces are a lot less breathable than fabric.
Make sure your chair is made of comfortable, breathable material that allows air to pass through.
Armrests
Armrests are common for office chairs, but a good ergonomic office chair would have adjustable armrests. We mentioned earlier that good posture involves keeping your arms bent at a 90-degree angle to your body. This is difficult to maintain for long periods of time because, without support, your elbows and shoulders get tired and have too much pressure on the muscles there.
Armrests should be adjustable so that you can rest your elbows on them comfortably. Sometimes, due to the chair width, the armrests are too far apart. Sometimes, they're too low or too high, which can either make you slouch or hunch your shoulders.
Some chairs come with armrests that can be adjusted at different angles as well, which is helpful.
When picking a chair for yourself, find one that can provide all of the above, and then look at how adjustable the armrests are. While they are important, height, width, and depth adjustment, and lumbar support are much more necessary.
Swivel
Most office chairs already come with the swivel option, and casters to let you move around freely. This is to allow you to rotate and reach for objects on different parts of your desk without straining your body.
Ergonomic Standard Office Chair (C5)
If you're looking for an ergonomic chair with all of the above, FlexiSpot's Ergonomic Standard Office Chair (C5) is your best option.
It comes with 3D lumbar support to keep your back protected from aches and pains, particularly since back pain is long-lasting and can be very interfering when it comes to your daily life. It has three adjustment levels for height and a gentle rebound system.
The backrest is curved so it conforms with the neck and spine to provide support not just to the lumbar region, but also your neck and head. The backrest also tilts back about 45 degrees so you can recline in comfort, whether you're taking a short break between tasks, or a nap during your lunch hour.
It has armrests that are adjustable in 4 dimensions and are cushioned so you can rest your arms for longer periods. They contour effortlessly to your arms and determine maximum comfort.
The chair is made from fleece mesh that is temperature-sensitive and offers ventilation. This allows you to sit in the chair even on hot days without your back getting all sweaty. Most importantly, the ventilation allows you to stay fresh and relaxed the whole day.
It also has the necessary height adjustment feature that every office chair needs. The chair has a height range of 18.5 to 22 inches, and the back of the chair is about 22 inches in height.
Finding the right ergonomic chair can be difficult because of how many options there are and how many things you have to consider when making the decision. Flexispot's products are designed with comfort and your well-being in mind, which makes the Soutien chair a great investment.
