We are living in difficult times now. That being said, most of us are forced to work in our home. And in order to work effectively and efficiently, most people are setting up their own workspace at home.

Probably the best component in a home office is a great Ergonomic Chair. We spend a great time sitting in an office chair, which is a position that adds stress to the back. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to choose the best ergonomic chair to promote good posture and reduce the onset of back problems.

What is an ergonomic chair?

An ergonomic chair is designed to adapt to the user’s back needs. It is usually associated with boosted productivity levels because of the level of comfort it provides.

An ergonomic chair usually has an adjustable seat height, lumbar support, and seat depth, meaning you can adjust it to your liking to make sure that your legs are perpendicular to the floor and your arms are on the same level as your desk.

Proper lumbar support is the most important feature of an ergonomic chair. Most people usually have lower back problems brought by prolonged sitting posture.

What is the best type of ergonomic chair for me?

If you scan through the market, you will find a myriad of ergonomic chairs. No one type is necessarily better than the others, but there are factors that are very critical to look for a good ergonomic chair.

The features of the right ergonomic chair for you

Seat height

The right chair for your home office should be easily adjustable. Usually, a pneumatic adjustment lever is the most common way to do this. A seat height that is between 16 and 21 inches off the floor should do great for most people. As long as the chair allows you to have your feet flat on the floor and your arms even with your desk’s height, it will do perfectly well.

Seat depth and width

You would not want to work while seating on a cramped seat, so it’s best to buy a chair that offers enough space and depth to support you. The standard is 17-20 inches wide. The depth, starting from the front to the back of the seat should be enough for you to sit with your back against the backrest. The forward or backward tilt feature should also be adjustable.

Lumbar support

The perfect ergonomic chair should be complete with a lumbar support. Sitting for long hours may cause your spine to curve, leading to slouching and chronic back pain due to strains at the lower part of the spine. A great ergonomic chair should have lumbar adjustment, both in terms of depth and height, so that you could find the proper support of inward curve for your lower back.

Seat material

The seat material of your chair should be comfortable enough to sit on. You should feel comfortable to sit there for hours. The material should be high-quality and contain enough padding.

Back rest

An ergonomic chair’s back rest should be between 12 and 19 inches wide. If this is separated from the seat, it should have an adjustable angle and height. It should support the natural curve of your spine, with extra support given in the lumbar area.

Swivel

Any quality ergonomic chair should have a swivel so that you can easily reach different spots on your home office without needing to stand up.

Armrests

Armrests are as important as the lumbar support. They should allow your arms to rest comfortably and keep your shoulders relaxed. Your elbows and lower arms should rest lightly, and make sure that your forearms should not be on the armrests while typing to avoid strain.

Why do you need a good ergonomic chair?

First things first, a bad office chair is bad for your health. Some chairs may seem good at first, but the poorly-designed ones will always cause discomfort and may lead to bad posture over time. Over time, your office chair will degrade, even the ergonomic ones. Correct posture and higher productivity levels are the greatest advantages of having a quality ergonomic chair. If you are spending around 40 hours a week sitting on your chair, we can’t think of a better investment than this.

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