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Everything You Should Know About the Ergonomics of a Chair
If you work a desk job, you must have heard about the health impacts of prolonged sitting. Sitting down can exert an array of stress in your body, and especially on your spines. More and more people recognize this issue with time, and this has led to the boom of ergonomic office chairs. So, if you are someone who spends a lot of hours sitting at your desk every day, you should know about the ergonomics of a chair.
The Term ‘Ergonomic’
In simple terms, ergonomics is a science concerned with designing solutions that optimizes your wellbeing. This discipline involves designing or arranging products in a way that most suitably compliments safe and easy human interaction. For example, an ergonomic chair is a chair designed for supporting the human body in the best way. It considers several factors like comfort, posture, health, and support.
An Ergonomic Chair
An ergonomic chair is the best office chair for your workspace that has several features designed to offer you correct support and improve your posture. However, to make the best out of them and enjoy all the benefits it has to offer, you should also know how to sit on them. So, here are a few tips:
- You should be at least an arm’s length away from the computer screen. The monitor’s top should be at your eye level while sitting.
- Do not slouch or forcibly sit up straight. Your neck should be in a neutral and relaxed position.
- Your arms should be parallel to the floor.
- While sitting, your feet should remain flat on the floor and do not cross your legs. This will ensure correct blood circulation in your legs.
Adjusting an Ergonomic Chair
A good ergonomic chair should be adjustable for better control. This is particularly important when you are buying chairs that many people will use, like an office chair.
Here are adjustability options that you should consider:
- Seat Height
The seat height of an ergonomic chair is best when you can place your feet on the floor. So, an ergonomic chair should have an adjustable height setting. For most people, the seat height ranging from 16 to 21 inches would work.
- Seat Depth and Width
When the edge of the seat is two to four inches away from your knee pit, you can call it an ergonomic chair with the right seat depth. In case the seat is jutting out too much, it will put pressure on the back of your knees.
- Seat Tilt
A good ergonomic chair will tilt so that it can adjust to the position of your pelvis. One of the major posture problems affecting almost everyone with a desk job is the anterior pelvic tilt. If you want to avoid this, you have to maintain your pelvis in a neutral position, with an 80-degree angle at your hip, ankles, and knees.
- Backrest Lumbar Support
This is an essential feature of ergonomic chairs as it supports your lower back. Primarily, these chairs are created for supporting the natural ‘S’ shape of your spine so that the stress on your pelvis and spine is reduced while preventing slumping. It will also allow you to align the chair’s curve with your spine’s curve and get optimal support.
- Backrest Recline
When you have an adjustable backrest, you can adjust it into the most comfortable position for you. It will also take some weight off your upper body and reduce the pressure on your muscles and spinal discs.
These are a few factors that you should know before buying ergonomic office chairs. Also, consider how long you might have to sit on them every day. The longer you plan on sitting, the more adjustable options you will need.
Kenneth is a proud native of sydney, born and raised there. However, he pursued his education abroad and studied in Australia. Kenneth has worked as a journalist for almost a decade, making valuable contributions to prominent publications such as Yahoo News and The Verge. Currently, he serves as a journalist for The Hear Up, where he focuses on covering climate and science news. You can reach Kenneth at [email protected].
