When we see the label Ergonomic Office Chair what exactlydoes it mean and what should we expect from an ErgonomicOffice Chair? Perhaps we can best answer the question bydefining the term Ergonomic. My dictionary definesErgonomics as follows:
“The applied science of equipment design, as for theworkplace, intended to maximize productivity by reducingoperator fatigue and discomfort”
So, as can be seen from the above definition when applied toan Ergonomic Office Chair the term is open to manyinterpretations. It just doesn't follow that just because anOffice Seat is described as an Ergonomic Office Chair thatthe buyer is getting anything specific or properlyspecified.
At best, you will indeed get an excellent chair that will bea pleasure to use and give years of comfortable service. Atworst, you will get a very poor quality Office Chairpossibly having crudely shaped foam in the chair back andclaiming to give the user lumbar support. In reality such achair is more likely to give the user lumbago!
So how can we ensure that when we buy an Office Chairclaiming to be an Ergonomic Office Chair that we do in factend up with a good quality Office Chair, fit for purpose andable to give the user lasting comfort and relief fromfatigue?
Well let's begin by ignoring wild claims from manufacturersand consider the essential features needed to ensure thatthe chair does indeed offer a reduction of fatigue anddiscomfort and can truly be considered fit for our purpose.
Here's a list of essential features an Ergonomic OfficeChair must have.
Gas Lift Height Adjustable Seat
Almost all Office Chairs now come with a gas lift heightadjustable seat. You need to make sure you can adjust theheight so that your feet are firmly on the floor with yourupper legs angled slightly downwards. If you're not verytall you may need to buy a footrest too.
If you are a large framed person make sure that the gas liftrating is suitable, typically they are rated up to 18 - 20stones. Up rated gas lifts are generally available forbetter quality Office Seats.
Sliding Seat Depth Adjustment
This feature is not nearly so common on Office Chairs,nonetheless I consider it to be vital for an ErgonomicOffice Chair. Humans come in all shapes and sizes and so itmakes obvious good sense that the chair user is able toadjust the seat depth to suit their leg length.
When correctly set up the seat depth of your ErgonomicOffice Chair should be adjusted so that you are able toplace your clenched fist between the edge of the chair'sseat pad and the back of your knee.
Height Adjustable Back
An Ergonomic Office Chair should have a height adjustableback and needs to be set up so that it gives the user goodsupport in the lower part of their back. It doesn't needmountainous inbuilt lumbar foam supports, a slightly curvedfoam back shell is ideal provided the user adjusts it tosuit their back. Some Office Chair come with adjustablelumbar supports and the majority are fine if correctlyadjusted.
Height Adjustable Arms
Although some users, particularly typists, prefer chairswithout arms for the majority of users they are a good thingto have. Properly used, height adjustable chair arms aredefinitely beneficial particularly for minimising orrelieving Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI).
The user should set up the chair arm height by ensuring thattheir lower arms are level with their desktop. Keyboard andmouse use should be comfortable and not strained. Visit mywebsite at http://www.officechairinfo.com/?p=25 for more on thistopic.
Tension Adjustable Seat
Cheaper Office Chairs come with a fixed tension setting forthe seat base. Frequently these are combined with apermanent contact back pad. The way that these Office Chairswork is that the seat and back move in ratio with eachother. Great, if you are the correct weight for themechanism.
However, if you are light framed and move forward in one ofthese chairs they feel like they are trying to catapult youout of the chair. They are also very difficult to lean backin for those who are light framed. Conversely, if you arelarge or heavy framed you could find yourself bouncingaround all over the place.
So, make sure that the tension on your Office Chair can beadjusted to suit your own weight. I'm not a big fan ofpermanent contact back chairs and recommend you select achair that has independent seat and back tension adjustment.
So, to summarise here are the key points to consider whenselecting an Ergonomic Office Chair
* Gas lift height adjustable seat to suit your height,with up rated gas lift if required
* Sliding seat depth adjustment to suit your leglength
* Height adjustable back to ensure the lower back isproperly supported ” Height adjustable arms to minimise thechance of RSI and for ease of movement
* Seat tension adjustment to enable the correctpressure for the individual user
By applying the above checklist when considering a newErgonomic Office Chair you will have an excellent chance ofselecting a suitable chair that will give you many yearsgood service and can rightly be described as an ErgonomicOffice Chair. It's always a good idea to visit a few officefurniture showrooms or speak with a seating specialist andask to try out suitable chairs to find the model mostsuitable for you.
Duncan MacIntyre shows you exactly what you should look for when choosing an Office Chair. His 25 years of experience in quality Office Seating will help you get things right first time. Visit http://www.OfficeChairInfo.com for great help, advice and tips on Office Chairs.