Ergonomic
Office Chairs - Choosing the Right One Can be Difficult
By Amy Lieberfarb
Worker's tend to spend the majority of their day
sitting in an office chair, shouldn't they be comfortable?
A good ergonomic office chair is hard to find and
even harder to choose. There are many factors to
consider in finding the right ergonomic chair for
your body type and workplace conditions. In example,
a doctor has different ergonomic needs than a computer
technician for the type of work performed.
Start by considering your body type. The average
office chair will fit the average sized person but
larger and smaller body types may need special equipment
or adjustment features. Considerations for a larger
sized person are things such as seat height and depth
adjustment as well as chair weight capacity.
A larger sized person would also have to consider
the arm adjustability in height and width, making
sure that it gives them comfort ability and enough
room for movement. A smaller sized person would also
need to consider things such as seat height and arm
adjustment as well as a foot-ring or footrest option
in order to keep their body in ergonomic balance
and feet firmly on the floor.
Studies have shown us that the upright position,
completely straight, is not the best seating posture.
In fact, a reclined posture of approximately 100-110
degrees makes the chair start to work FOR your body.
This decreases postural muscle activity and disc
pressure on the lumbar region. Sitting in an erect
postion is not the desired outcome, be sure that
your chair has a tilt mechanism with reclining motion,
preferably that locks in several positions.
Take into consideration all of your workplace conditions,
such as desk and computer monitor height, keyboard
placement, foot space and hours of daily use. In
order for any chair to truly work ergonomically,
the workplace environment where it is located also
needs to be adjusted and considered.
To be truly ergonomic a chair needs to provide the
user with constant movement. A high-end ergonomic
chair will offer things like adjustment mechanisms
and specially designed features that move with your
body keeping the eye level constant whether completely
reclined or in a more straight-backed position. This
movement of the chair keeps your body in the correct
posture whether reclining or sitting upright. This
is important to maintaining proper health and blood
flow and can be worth the money.
Finding a great chair without going high-end and
still having a chair with the right ergonomic features
is also possible. Many economy or mid-grade models
and executive style chairs have features needed for
good ergonomics. Many features are available, such
as leather, mesh, vinyl and fabrics, as well as headrests,
footrings and frame color choices to pick a chair
you also like to look at. Always remember that in
order to have a truly ergonomic chair, an important
part is to keep the proper heights for your workstation
and office equipment.
The office chair that you are looking for might
be needed for use with multiple users and adjustability
is the number one concern, or used with one person
for long periods of time and lumbar support is the
main factor. Please see the features listed on the
chair you are interested in and make sure that the
model that "looks perfect" is the right
one for you ergonomically.
Amy Lieberfarb has specialized in the office furniture
and sales industry for 11 years and currenty operates
two online office furniture sites. The above article
gives a brief summary of how to choose the right
office chair. For more detailed information on ergonomics
or office chairs, please see her website at: http://stores.ebay.com/liebswholesale
Liebs Wholesale offers a HUGE selection of Office
Chairs and Furniture -- leather, mesh, big & tall
options, executive models and custom ordered ergonomic
seating. With hundreds of chair models to choose
from, you are sure to find the perfect Ergonomic
Office Chair for you.
http://www.liebswholesale.com
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