How To Buy An Ergonomic Office Chair

How To Buy An Ergonomic Office Chair by Helen Hecker

When shopping for or buying an ergonomic chair or ergonomic office chair online, finding the best ergonomic chair depends a lot on what kind of work you do whether at home or away from home. And incorrect ergonomics can cause back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, headaches, and many other medical issues. And if you spend most of your waking hours sitting at your desk, you know you need an ergonomic office chair that works with your body not against it, to spare you from needless backaches and fatigue.

The terms computer ergonomics and office ergonomics are often used interchangeably; they're usually referring to body-adapted ergonomic chairs, office chairs, stools, desks, keyboards, mice and so on. In recent times, the word 'ergonomics' has become part of office terminology. Medical chairs and dental chairs also benefit from using correct ergonomics. Clean room chairs and ESD chairs are also on the market; these chairs come with height adjustable options as well as seat pan and back option, plus they have necessary inflatable lumbar support and footrest options. Ergonomic comfort is also very important because it helps keep employees alert. Ergonomic intensive-use chairs or seating, also known as 24/7 seating, are usually used for dispatch room security monitoring areas, control rooms, and 911 emergency dispatch offices.

Ergonomic executive office chairs or seating, also called managers' chairs, are usually found with a higher back and come with leather or stitched leather upholstery. The ergonomic intensive-use chairs are very durable and especially need to be ergonomic in design, because workers are typically sitting for many hours. And the executive chairs usually have upholstered back rests and upholstered arms.

The hydraulic seat height adjustment allows the user to adjust the chair properly so feet can rest on the floor or footrest and the upper body is properly aligned with the computer monitor, keyboard and mouse. The seat should always extend at least one inch from either side of the hips for optimum comfort because insufficient hip room can make you sit too far forward and not get enough support for the thighs. Adjustable height and width are absolutely necessary when buying a chair that has armrests. The armrests should be made of a soft material and should be at least 2" wide to provide an adequate surface area.

Some of the ergonomic chair seat pans easily adjust for either a forward or backward tilt. You can use an ergonomic chair with casters and a 5-point base to ease movement and minimize possible tipping. A good ergonomic chair or office chair will recline and lock into several different positions.

The backrest of the chair should also have angle, in-out and height adjustments to achieve the proper spinal alignment; the angle adjustment allows the user to adjust the angle of the backrest in relation to the seat pan, as opposed to the tilt mechanism, which moves the seat pan with the backrest. The front part of the seat should slope down ever so slightly and allow a fist size gap between the back of the knees and the front edge of the seat pan to reduce pressure on the back of the thighs. The seat pan is the one component of the chair that supports the majority of the user's weight.

Hopefully these ergonomic facts and tips about features and types of ergonomic chairs will help you when shopping for or buying an ergonomic chair online or locally from your office supply store or office furniture store. Many good deals can be found online and at local office furniture consignment and resale shops. And if you can't afford the Cadillac of chairs, the Aeron chair, which starts at about $400, find an ergonomic chair or ergonomic office chair that is a true ergonomic chair, not the 'ergonomically designed' chair that is generally not totally ergonomic.

About the Author
For information on saving money on an ergonomic chair and best buy shopping for all types of ergonomic chairs and ergonomic computer chairs online and offline, see Helen Hecker R.N.'s http://www.ergonomic-chair-tips.com/ for tips, advice, and resources, including info on the ergonomic office chair