What to Look for in an Office Chair

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Investing in a good office choice can boost productivity and reduce strain in your back, hips, and knees. If your work involves a lot of seating, you need a great chair that is both comfortable and visually appealing.

When it comes to picking out the right chair for you, there are factors that you need to think about before investing your cash in any chair.

So what should you look for in a good office chair?

A good office chair should be an ergonomic chair that is highly customizable with all the necessary adjustments to perfectly mold the curve of your spine. Ultimately always test out the chair and go for the one that offers optimal back support and is both broad and deep to distribute your weight equally.

From the word go, your focus should be on an ergonomic chair because of the customization features it provides.

It is an office chair that can perfectly adjust to meet your proportional needs, especially if you are trying to achieve an excellent desk chair ratio. 

For a five-foot-tall person, the recommended seating height should be about 14 inches. You can factor in this ratio and use it to calculate your seating height.

A good office chair is a beautiful catalyst to overcoming significant back problems. The chair will elevate stress from your spine by encouraging better posture.

It ensures healthy blood vessels and nerves while supporting muscles and ligaments.

To ensure you get all the benefits that come with a good office chair, here are some of the features you can look out for:

Lumbar Support

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The tremendous back support can adequately support the inward curve of your back. Most premium office chairs in the market offer this adjustability feature.

Considering that most back problems originate from lower back strain, it is a crucial factor to consider.

Excellent back support will alleviate backaches and slouching caused by those long hours on your PC.

Adjustable Seat Height

You should ensure your thighs and buttocks are supported as much as your lower back where support is concerned.  All ergonomic chairs have height adjustability with pneumatic levels that can adjust upwards and downwards on a 20-inch interval.

Your feet should always be flat on the floor with your arms flat on the dest. It would help if you leveled your eye position with the monitor.

The adjustability process is very self-explained, but you can also opt for an ergonomic test to achieve optimal conditions for your setup.

Wheels Versus Non-Wheel Base

Whether or not you want wheels on your ergonomic chair is eternally up to you. That being said, not all wheels will do well on a carpeted floor. They may get stuck and ruin your rug.

What you can do is ensure you get a wheel with a great deal of rolling resistance.

Alternatively, you can get a chair mat to protect your floor and encourage motion.

Swivel Base

If you have your heart set on an ergonomic chair with a wheel, the next logical thing to consider would be the swivel base.

The swivel base promotes easy circular motion. This motion is excellent, especially if you have a large desk and want to reach different parts of it without straining your arms or overextending yourself.

Some ergonomic chairs can swivel for up to 360-degrees.

Armrests Adjustability.

By now, you have figured that for any feature on an ergonomic chair, adjustability is critical. Armrests adjustability is not always present in an ergonomic chair, but its significance can not be overlooked.

Adjusting your armrests can not only offer support to your arms and should but your neck as well.

Backrest

Backrest with lumbar support can significantly reduce strain on the back. When choosing an optimal backrest-friendly chair, remember that it should be wide enough to cover the entire length of your back. It is curved enough that it almost mimics the natural curve of your spine.

Please make sure the backrest you go for has an adjustable height or angle and a locking mechanism to ensure that it perfectly fits your back and stays in place when it does.

Width and Depth of The Seat

It can be very uncomfortable to spend an entire day on a seat that feels crampy on the sides. That is why you should never overlook the width and depth of your seat.

Get an office chair that is wide and deep enough to distribute your weight and allow some breathing room equally.

The Fabric on the Seat

Most people don’t usually pay attention to the fabric on the seat, but this can be the most challenging thing to decide. Get a fabric that is too hard, and it gets uncomfortable fast.

Get a fabric that is too soft and won’t offer great support.

There is also that overheating aspect that you have to consider. Unbreathable fabric like leather can make you sweat it out at the office, especially during the summer.

A solution to this would be a mesh chair because it is both breathable and flexible. On top of that, it can offer great support.

Other considerations

For a heavy-set person getting a chair, the mat can be an excellent investment. Chair mat can provide fluidity in motion and reduce rolling effort.

This ergonomic tool will prevent damage to your rug and floor caused by chair casters.

Another vital tool to elevate your seating experience is the anti-fatigue ergonomic chair mat.

The Benefits of a Good Office Chair

If you are wondering why in the world you should go through all this trouble just for a piece of furniture you use for work, here are some fantastic benefits that will change your mind.

Reduces Health Risks

Did you know that a bad sitting posture can hinder blood flow and cause your blood to clot? We all know the significance of a blood clot.

A bed chair can also promote the growth of cellulite in women especially. If your chair is rigid and does not support your buttocks and things, it may promote fat accumulation. A good ergonomic chair can counter this because it is soft and will give the necessary support.

Increase Productivity

An uncomfortable seat will have you constantly shifting in your seat to try and find a perfect position. This uneasy movement coupled with the constant pain on your back is sure to break your concentration and leave your mind wondering.

A good office chair would properly mold your body to provide maximum support, so you focus on work and stop feeling strained or pain in your back. The newfound comfort is bound to increase your productivity by a significant amount.

Improve Posture and Aid Back Pain

Maintaining a lousy posture for long causes tension to build on the back muscles and ligament. Over time, your muscles and ligament become overstretched, leading to severe back problems.

According to research, posture-related illnesses and injuries account for up to 30 percent of reported injuries from work.

The most important feature you can get from your chair is the much-needed support. Ultimately an ergonomic chair should be adjustable in all the critical areas for maximum customization for your unique needs.

Getting that perfect chair is difficult, and it can be pricey as well. That is why it’s good to remember that this is an investment in your health in the long run.

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