The Right Office Chair is Essential for Comfort

A good chair is an essential part of the workstation, providing you with the proper support for your back, legs, buttocks, and arms.

It helps reduce awkward postures that can lead to neck and back problems, pressure over the bones that can restrict circulation, and exertion that can result in strained muscles and tendons.

A good chair should allow you to assume a variety of convenient sitting positions throughout the day. Look for a chair that is adjustable to ensure a custom fit and sufficient support for a variety of sitting postures. If more than one person uses a particular chair during the day, these considerations, especially adjustability, are even more relevant.

Before selecting a chair, try out different styles and options. Decide on the one that gives the best support and is the most comfortable. It’s important to try out different chairs before buying one because you can’t really tell just by looking. Check out the construction of the backrest, seat, armrests, and base for quality and durability as well as comfort. To select the right chair, all of these aspects should come into play for decision making.

Adjust the chair at your workstation with your monitor, keyboard, and desk. You want to see how it fits within the context of your office layout. Before buying a chair, refer to the following guidelines.

Be sure that the backrest of the chair corresponds to the natural curvature of your spine and provides sufficient support to your lumbar region. If not, the backrest should be adjustable and be capable of providing this support.

Be sure that the seat of the chair is comfortable and allows your feet to rest flat on the floor or footrest with your thighs parallel to the floor.

Be sure that the armrests are soft and comfortable and allow your shoulders to fully relax and your elbows to stay close to your body. Your shoulders should not be pushed up toward your ears!

Be sure that the chair has a five-pronged base with rollers that allow it to move about easily on the floor in any direction.