If your 9 to 5 requires you to sit in front of a computer screen or sit hunched over endless piles of documents, you’re at a high risk of developing serious health complications which can also become lifelong disabilities if you don’t do something about them.
Not many people realize that the body pain, fatigue, headache, and stiffness in the neck that they’re suffering from is because they’re sitting in an incorrect posture for long hours. Most people shrug these symptoms off, associating them with tiredness and lack of rest.
You’ll be surprised to know how much harm sitting in an incorrect posture at work can do you.
One way to avoid health complications due to poor office ergonomics is to invest in an ergonomic office chair, especially if you’re working from home and don’t have the right office furniture to work on.
If you’re constantly suffering from neck, shoulder, and back pain, it’s high time you bring home or replace your office chair with an ergonomic chair.
Why are Ergonomic Chairs So Important?
Ergonomic chairs don’t come cheap, which is one of the reasons why people are reluctant to invest in them. However, once you know the severity of the risk that you’re putting yourself in trying to save money, you won’t think twice before bringing an ergonomic chair home.
Your chair is the most important piece of furniture at work. It’s where you’re seated for all the hours that you spend working. Using the wrong chair can put you at serious risk of developing MSDs.
Let’s look in detail at why ergonomic chairs are so important.
Encourages You to Sit in the Correct Posture
One of the most important reasons you should replace your existing work chair with an ergonomic chair is that ergonomic chairs help you correct your posture.
As we’ve said above, sitting in an incorrect posture puts you at risk of developing MSDs, and the only way to avoid these health complications is to correct your posture.
The regular office chairs can’t be adjusted to suit your comfort needs. One critical factor that not many people consider is the fact that not all bodies are the same. A chair may that’s too high for short people may be too low and uncomfortable for someone who is tall. The seat may be just the right size for some people, while it may be too small for bulkier individuals.
An ergonomic chair allows you to adjust the height, seat depth, and even the back support to ensure all of your body is well-supported while you work. With an ergonomic chair, you don’t have to sit at the edge of the chair or sit hunched forward. You can comfortably rest against the back support, rest your arms on the armrests, adjust the seat size that suits you and work comfortably without tiring yourself out.
Enhances Productivity
The more comfortable you are, the more productive you’ll be. Imagine sitting in a chair that’s extremely uncomfortable for eight long hours. Would it make your body hurt? Will you be able to focus on your work? You’ll simply want to get done with your work and head home to lie straight on your bed. That’ll have a significant impact on your productivity and efficiency.
However, when you’re seated comfortably in an ergonomic chair with all of your body well-supported, you won’t feel tired or fatigued, and you’ll be able to stay focused on your work. The result will be higher quality, error-free work done well in time!
Reduced Risk of Musculoskeletal Disorders
When you’re sitting in a poor posture, hunched over your desk, or with your shoulders rounded while typing, the muscles of your shoulder, neck, and lower back are put under stress. The most stress is on the lower back, which is why lower back pain is the most common complaint of people who’ve got to sit in one place for long hours.
However, an ergonomic chair ensures that you’re sitting in the right posture, and every part of your body gets just the right support. You won’t sit hunched or with a curved spine. Your back will be fully against the backrest, your arms will be resting on the armrests, your hips will be accommodated on the seat just right, and you’ll be able to work comfortably.
The best ergonomic chairs with flip-up arms offer additional benefits. You can use the armrests when you feel like your arms are starting to hurt, and if the armrests are causing you any sort of discomfort or inconvenience at any point, you can always flip the armrests up and enjoy an unhindered sitting experience!
All of this means that the stress on the muscles of your neck, shoulders, arms, and spine is minimum, thereby reducing the risk of musculoskeletal disorders significantly.
Adjusts According to Your Needs
One of the biggest reasons ergonomic chairs are important is that they can be adjusted according to your needs to absolute perfection. No matter what your height or physique is, an ergonomic chair can be adjusted to meet your comfort needs.
Unlike regular office chairs, ergonomic chairs ensure that every employee is able to work comfortably without feeling tired. With adjustable height, seat depth, armrest height, and backrest incline features, an ergonomic chair can meet the comfort needs of everyone.
The more comfortable you are at work, the better you’ll be able to focus and perform better. Not to mention the adjustable features of ergonomic chairs ensure MSDs stay at bay.
Fewer Healthcare Costs
Most people who visit physiotherapists and chiropractors are those who suffer from consistent neck, shoulder, and lower back pain. These are the people who’re working long shits, sitting in incorrect postures.
While most companies offer healthcare coverage for work-related ailments and diseases, the coverage may not cover the full cost of your treatment.
However, with an ergonomic chair, you don’t have to worry about having to go to a physiotherapist or chiropractor at all. Since an ergonomic chair ensures you’re sitting in the correct posture, you won’t suffer from the pain in the back, neck, and shoulders and, therefore, won’t have to worry about healthcare costs.
Investing in ergonomic chairs for all employees also benefits the employers as well because they’ll receive fewer healthcare claims.
What to Look for in an Ergonomic Chair
Not all ergonomic chairs are made to be equal, and if you want to reap the maximum benefit of an ergonomic chair, you’ve got to invest in the best desk chairs to keep you comfortable all day long.
Some of the most important features that an ergonomic chair must be equipped with include:
Adjustable Height
Not everyone is the same height, and there’s no way the same height chair will suit everyone. Taller people would be able to sit comfortably on a chair that has got a considerable height so that their legs aren’t bent while they’re working.
Similarly, short individuals would prefer a shorter chair so that their feet are flat on the floor and not dangling in the air.
So, the adjustable-height feature is a prerequisite when choosing an ergonomic chair. You should be able to adjust the height of your chair according to your preferences.
Adjustable Seat Depth
Standard office chairs aren’t always the most comfortable. The size of the seat is standard. Bulkier individuals would feel like they’re stuck in the chair, while people with a smaller physique might have to sit at the edge of their seat to be close to their work desk.
An ergonomic chair with an adjustable seat depth feature will enable you to adjust the size of your seat according to your physique so that you’re seated in your chair comfortably while you’re working.
Flip-Up Arms
Some of the best ergonomic chairs are equipped with flip-up arms. Not everyone prefers to have armrests on their office chairs. Some people prefer to have their elbows resting on armrests during work, whereas some find it an obstruction.
When an ergonomic chair has flip-up arms, you can use the armrests or flip them up when you don’t need them. An Office chair with flip-up arms ensures that your focus isn’t diverted because of even the slightest discomfort.
Back Support
An ergonomic office chair must have a flexible backrest so that it can accommodate different degrees of spinal curvatures. You should be able to incline the backrest as per your comfort needs. If an ergonomic chair doesn’t have this feature, the backrest may be too straight or too inclined for you, and this would put stress on your spine and lower back.
If you continue to use an office chair that doesn’t have a flexible and adjustable backrest, you’re at high risk of developing health complications like Sciatica.
An ergonomic chair is just what you need to make your work life comfortable and risk-free. Work-related health complications can be serious, especially if they aren’t addressed on time. By investing in the right ergonomic furniture for your office, you can minimize the risk of developing work-related health problems and ensure your health and safety.