What is an ergonomic chair?

Ergonomic, by definition, pertains to factors related to design intended specifically to maximize comfort and minimize fatigue. This is a very common need in workplaces, where office workers are often prone to fatigue and discomfort caused by either strenuous work or office chair discomfort. The most common cause of discomfort and even pain in the workplace can be traced back to the office chair that is being used. Since a lot of office workers spend an extended length of time sitting in a chair, they are at risk of many pain conditions due to the stress that their spine receives. This usually leads to non-accidental back problems that sometimes become acute and even chronic. Aside from back pain, workers may also suffer from many different conditions such as neck strain and leg pain. An ergonomic chair, however, can prevent all these from happening. And aside from its back problem preventive measures, ergonomic chairs also help promote good posture. Offices nowadays are becoming more and more concerned with the chairs they use to keep employees healthy and satisfied. This, in turn, has benefits on their productivity and ultimately, on the business.

Ergonomic chairs now come in many different types. The variety of office chairs also comes in response to the varying needs of different office workers. There is not a single ergonomic office chair that can be considered the best as the choice of which ergonomic chair would give the most benefits depend on several factors. There are, however, some requisite factors that an ergonomic chair should rank well at. For example, an ergonomic office chair should have the right seat height, the right width and depth, ample lumbar support, a backrest, an armrest, a comfortable seat material, a good tilt, and a smooth swivel. These are the things that make a chair ergonomic.

Having ergonomic chairs is very helpful in ensuring comfort for office workers. However, comfort does not wholly depend on the chair itself. The user should also be able to use the ergonomic chair to its best possible advantage by adjusting the chair to meet his own needs. The chair should also be made to fit the person's body built, height, and the type of work that he will be doing. Also, an ergonomic chair is best and most effective when factored against the height of the work table and the overall positioning of the workplace. The height of the work table also affects the elbow angle of the user as well as the eye level, which means that the user should find the best angle and eye level and make sure the ergonomic chair meets the requirements. When these factors are well considered, the ergonomic chair will be able to provide the best benefit and comfort especially to the user's spine and lower back.

In sum, ergonomic chairs are chairs that do more than just what is required of them, which is to provide a seating equipment. These chairs are also customized and designed in such a way as to ensure that the body, especially the spine, of the user rests comfortably and safely on the chair itself. It ensures that impact from the sitting position is well-distributed and will not cause stress to the spine and the back.