06.07.2022

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, so too will remote work. That means having a comfortable home office is more important than ever before.
Employees spend about 8 hours every day desk-bound to their office chair. Consequently, picking the right office chair is of the utmost importance, especially since a bad chair could impact your posture and your overall sense of well-being for the worse.

Read on to learn more about why ergonomic office chairs are so important and find out our opinion of the best ergonomic office chair.

What does Ergonomic Mean?

Ergonomic is any work-related item that was specifically designed for maximum comfort and efficiency.

An ergonomic office chair is usually defined by having the following features:

Seat depth

Adjustable arm height and width

Lumbar support

Height adjustability

Many of these features are customizable options so employees of all shapes and sizes can appreciate ultimate comfort while working.

Why Are Ergonomic Office Chairs Important?

Back Pain

When you're hurting, it's hard to focus. And when it's hard to focus, that can negatively impact the quality of your work. Long periods of sitting in a standard office chair can lead to back pain — a serious issue that can affect an employee’s performance and personal life.

It’s reported that 80% of adults have experienced back pain over the course of their lives and that 50% of all working adults have experienced back pain in the last year. These numbers indicate that back pain is common. Fortunately, back pain can be decreased and possibly diminished with the application of ergonomic office chairs, the perfect home office investment during this renewed period of interest in remote work.

An ergonomic office chair with lumbar support is designed to put less pressure on the spine, promoting good posture and alleviating back pain.

Emotional Complications

Clearly, back pain causes physical agony to employees, but it’s also linked to different types of emotional complications. These complications include:

Anxiety

Stress

Lack of concentration

Loss of appetite

All of these can have serious implications on employees’ productivity, personal life and overall health.

More Time Off

Back pain sometimes causes employees to take additional time off, usually so they can see a medical professional or spend time recuperating.

Best Ergonomic Office Chairs

As you can see, there are many benefits to providing employees with ergonomic office chairs, but finding the right ergonomic office chair is a critical yet challenging task.

We recommend the Leap office chair from Steelcase. Steelcase created some of the best ergonomic office chairs that are stylish, comfortable and always innovated with the latest ergonomic features.

Mesh vs Leather Chair - Pros & Cons and Which One to Go For
Office chairs are a very important aspect that decides the health of the people who work in the space. Mesh vs leather chair? When planning to buy an office chair, it is important to consider the different types of chairs fabric available in the market, understand the different aspects to it and then decide how well a particular kind of chair satisfies the requirements they have.

The most popular options of office chairs that people come across are mesh chairs and the leather chairs. These both types of chairs have their advantages and disadvantages. One should weigh both the aspects to understand what is most suitable to consider for the office.

The mesh chairs were introduced as a revolutionary change in office furniture. The traditional upholstered seating got a real change with the mesh chairs. Mesh chairs got so much popularity in a very smaller time frame. The mesh office chairs have been the best alternatives to the fabric and leather ones. The mesh chairs come with so many pros and cons which should be assessed before one chooses the option for the office. Each aspect should be given equal importance so that it is possible to assess the chair perfectly before making the choice.

Ventilation

The mesh chairs that are available with an open structure for facilitating the ventilation. The ventilation brings a lot of relaxation and comfort to a person who has to spend a lot of time sitting in a day. The Mesh chairs allow air circulation between the body and the chair seat and back. The fabric and the leather chairs create a lot of heat accumulation when used them for a longer time period. The mesh chairs give a lot of free space and free flow air thus helping the skin breathe.

Lightweight and Easy Maintenance

Mesh chairs are very easy for maintenance and are very lightweight. It has a very minimalistic design and construction. They are lightweight and are much easier to lift them and move around. It is also very easy for cleaning the spills and stains from the mesh chairs. There are quite a lot of advantages that one get when there are chairs in the office that do not need a lot of maintenance. A space like an office would always need such furniture which can be easily maintained and kept clean.

Availability

The availability of the mesh chairs makes it a great pick for any office space. They are very commonly available office furniture pieces. One can find the mesh chairs in any furniture shops, office supplies, and departmental stores. Both the seat and the back are in mesh or are available as mesh back, combined with vinyl, leather or fabric. The mesh chairs that are ergonomic for office use is something that can really help to keep the office very healthy for the employees. The best office chairs can reduce the strain of using a chair for a prolonged time period.

Cost

Mesh office desk chairs are much cheaper compared to the upholstery or the leather chairs and it also has a very professional look. The mesh office chairs are the best solutions for any office. They are very economical and so the best solution for small businesses to set the offices.

Gaming chair vs office chair: which seat type is best?
Whether you're refreshing your home office or looking to upgrade your gaming setup, the chair you place in the centre is going to make or break your space. Choosing a gaming chair vs an office chair is a big decision, but one you shouldn't take lightly. Working from home or hunkering down for those long gaming sessions means you'll be spending a lot of time perched on the seat of your choice, and picking the right one not only feels so much better but can also avoid longer term back and neck problems.

It can be difficult, then, to work out whether even the best gaming chair on the market is enough to ensure you're sitting correctly. After all, office chairs should be designed for long periods spent at a desk. However, there are a few differences between the two that need to be considered before you start looking for the perfect place to rest your rear.

Gaming chair vs office chair: what's the difference?

It's often easy to spot the differences between a gaming chair and an office chair. For one, the bright colors and often larger frames of gaming chairs mean they stick out immediately whereas office chairs can blend into the background far easier. However, if you're wondering what exactly makes a gaming chair different to a regular office chair, there are a few key points to note.

A gaming chair is usually designed in the racer style, with a tall winged back, bucket seat and raised seat edges. You'll often usually find lumbar and head support cushions included, with armrests that can be adjusted in a minimum of three directions. You'll also find that gaming chairs can recline significantly further than office chairs, and offer rocking and tilt locks as well.

An office chair tones things down considerably. You'll find a flat cushion with a wingless back, often with fixed lumbar support built in. Armrests will generally only move up and down, and reclines will be limited with more restrictive tilt locks.

Sit Back, It's Better for Your Back
A new study suggests that sitting upright for hours at a time -- for example, when working at a computer -- may lead to chronic back pain. Instead, the best position for your back is somewhat reclined, sitting at a 135-degree angle rather than the 90-degree angle most office chairs are designed for.

"A 135-degree body-thigh sitting posture was demonstrated to be the best biomechanical sitting position, as opposed to a 90-degree posture, which most people consider normal," says researcher Waseem Amir Bashir, MBChB, clinical fellow in the department of radiology and diagnostic imaging at the University of Alberta Hospital, Canada, in a news release. "Sitting in a sound anatomic position is essential, since the strain put on the spine and its associated ligaments over time can lead to pain, deformity and chronic illness."

Bashir presented the results of the study this week at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America in Chicago.

Back pain is one of the most common causes of work-related disability in the U.S. and helping to identify bad seating postures may help protect the spine and prevent injury.

Using "positional" magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) researchers studied the sitting positions of 22 healthy volunteers with no history of back pain. The MRI machine allowed freedom of motion, such as sitting or standing, during imaging. Conventional MRI machines require the patient to lie flat and may mask some causes of back pain.

Researchers used the MRI to examine spinal positioning while the participants assumed three different sitting positions: slouching forward (such as hunched over a desk or video game console), an upright 90-degree sitting position, and a relaxed position with the back reclined backward about 135 degrees while the feet were still on the floor.

Things to Consider When Purchasing a Lift Chair
Lift chairs or power recliners are a very popular option for those who have a hard time getting in and out of a lounger. Due to this popularity, the cost of these chairs has reduced significantly, with prices being very similar to good quality recliners available at retail furniture stores. Even if you do not currently require a lift chair, as your age advances you might want consider a power recliner with the lift option so that you are prepared in the event you find yourself with reduced mobility.

Here are 5 things you should consider when purchasing a lift chair to make sure you get what you need.

Positions: There are a wide variety of positions, and not all lift chairs can achieve every one of them. When buying a lift chair, make sure to review the positions each chair can achieve so that you aren’t caught by surprise when that lift chair you got for a great price will not recline fully.

Fit: One of the great things about lift chairs, is that they come in a wide variety of sizes. Having a chair that fits will ensure that you can stay comfortable longer, and avoid things like hanging feet or slouching to one side. Make sure to consider seat to floor height, seat depth, and seat width. This is especially important to anyone at risk of skin breakdown.

Weight capacity: Each lift chair comes with an approved weight capacity. Staying within these weight limits is important as it helps to make sure the chair will last, and you maintain your warranty.

Additional Options: Lift chairs now come available with many extra options. These incliude things like heat, massage, FirstUp (chair goes from seated to stand in less time), power foot extension, and battery backup. Of course these extras cost money, so be sure to consider your budget when choosing these options.

Style and Fabric: With the popularity of power recliners comes a lot more choice on the styles and fabrics available. This allows you to achieve the look you want, and match your existing furniture/room interiors. There are also functional considerations when it comes to fabric, as some fabrics include a moisture barrier that is important for some users.

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