Ergonomic Chair

An office chair refers to a chair specifically designed to be used in the office environment. Typically, the chair should meet the various demands of the office environment, such as comfort, adjustability, strength, durability, and more.

As such, most offices opt to purchase ergonomic office chairs, whose design takes a keen interest in enhancing the user’s comfort, thus promoting his focus throughout the day. A proper ergonomic office chair aids to eliminate discomfort and physical effort, while increasing efficiency.

You see, the human body is designed to respond well to movement, not sitting for extended hours. For this reason, if your job demands that you sit for long hours, your chair needs to be comfortable, ergonomic, and adjustable. Going for the cheapest chair you can land your hands on, or buying a chair purely based on looks rather than functionality is equivalent playing games with your health.

More often than not, a good office chair helps to mitigate the negative effects associated with too much sitting. However, let’s not forget that a great office chair alone can’t solve all the problems brought about by sitting. However, when used in combination with exercise, regular movement, and good posture, it can provide a tremendous amount of value.

How to make the chair more comfortable for 8-12 hours

If you feel like your old office chair is not doing you any good, you are not alone. And since the pandemic started, a lot of us have been spending more time in front of the computer. And the absence of travel and commuting makes it more amenable for people to do overtime.

But then the backache starts to amp up. And your chair isn’t doing anything to make you comfortable. It does have something to do with the brand and quality of the office chair that you bought. But regardless, there are still some things that you can do to be able to make things less painful for your back.

Keep scrolling to find out.

• Ways to amp up the comfort level of your chair

We are going to enumerate several steps on how you can overhaul your office chair to suit your needs. Some of these steps are a no-brainer.

• Make sure that the chair has the proper dimensions

When we speak of dimensions, we are talking about the height of the seat, the width of the seat, how tall the backrest is, and the position of the armrests. Let’s dabble a bit on some.

• Set your chair to the proper height

A chair that’s set too high or too low for you can be detrimental. When set too high, your feet will be dangling off the chair. And this can cause numbness in the back of your legs. Then you’ll feel a pinching pain afterward. And when set too low, there will be added pressure on your back.

It can be easy to figure out the perfect height for you. Most often you just have to listen to what your body tells you. But that’s not the case with everyone. Alternatively, you can do these to get the perfect setting. 

The measurement is taken from up the floor to the back of the knees. Your feet should be flat on the floor. And you should be wearing flat shoes when you measure this height. Your feet should not be dangling from the chair nor should your legs feel like they are being too pushed down into the seat.

Also, correlating the seat height with the height of the backrest. Your shoulder and upper back should still be supported, but the chair’s frame should not be pushing too much against your skin. 

• Seat depth

If your office chair has adjustable seat depth, the more you’ll be able to find the most comfortable spot to work at. 

How would you know if the seat pan isn’t pushed too forward or pulled back? When seated, you should be able to place two fingers between the seat and the back of your knees. 

• Take advantage of the recline function

If your chair has more options for a recline, then you’re in for a treat. You’ll be surprised at how a few tilts from a 90-degree sitting position can do wonders for your back. An upright 90-degree angle is too much compression on the back. 

According to some researchers, a 135-degree recline may offer the most relief and prevent back compression. But you can always fiddle with the recline settings of your chair and find the one that you’re most comfortable with.

• Adjust the armrests

The height of the arms plays a significant role in either pain or comfort. Like the seat, if it sits too high or too low, it can cause a strain on your back. How can you tell if your armrests are at the perfect height? 

Easy, check your elbow angle. Your elbows should be placed at 90 degrees by the side. Plus, your shoulders should be relaxed, and they should not be held too high nor pulled way too low. 

But this is easy if you have adjustable armrests, but what if your office chair has stationary arms?

Well, the best solution is to take out the arms if it’s possible! An improperly positioned armrest will not do you any good, so just free your chair from it. And think on the bright side. Armless chairs allow you to go in and out of the chair easily. Also, it will give you more room to stretch your legs for a break. 

Make use of accessories

You can amp up the comfort level by complementing your office chair with ergonomic accessories. And here are some of our favorites.

• Armrest pads

It’s not easy to find an office chair that ticks all the items on your list. There will be some features that can be compromised from the price, the seat, material, backrest, and arms. And more often than not, that feature is the armrests.

While your office chair may be sublimely comfortable in most aspects, the armrest may not be. And some midrange and affordable office chairs often have plastic armrests or ones that are built too short. But, how important are armrests to the comfort of your body when seated?

Well, a lot! Your arms bear around 10 percent of your body weight. So in no time, you’ll be bound to feel the discomfort of an armrest that’s too short or too firm. 

And the quickest solution, other than buying a new office chair with better arms, is to use armrest pads. You can make it too stiff or too short, arms softer and roomier with these accessories. 

• External lumbar pillow

If your office chair already comes with an adjustable lumbar pillow, that can spell wonders for your back. Otherwise, you might think of getting one. An external lumbar pillow is a great complement to a stiff and firm office chair. More often, affordable chairs do not offer an adjustable lumbar.

And even if your chair has lumbar support, it might be too stiff or it’s stationary. That can also put a strain on your lower back. Your back may be forced to stay in a single position for the day. 

• Seat cushions

Is your seat too firm or too soft? And with the birth of mesh chairs, more people are joining the bandwagon. But the problem with low-end mesh chairs is that the mesh material is a bit stiff and not as flexible as that you see in a more premium brand like Herman Miller. 

And sitting on a tough chair can be a real pain in the butt. And that pain can travel to your back and your entire body as well. And a seat cushion will be able to break that pressure.

It can also amp up the comfort of a paddle seat if the cushion is too thin. And some office chairs may have thick padding, but lack the proper contour to distribute weight evenly. 

We love how contoured seat cushions can help relieve pressure points. If you have an office chair with a flat-out seat, contoured seat cushions will make a huge difference. 

• Adjustable footrest

One advantage of gaming chairs over ergonomic office chairs is the footrest. While not all gaming chairs are equipped with one, you’ll find a lot of them with functional footrests. And we can’t say the same with office chairs. Though there are office chairs that have one, it does not come close to a footrest of a premium gaming chair.

So you can still get the convenience of having to extend your feet or change the angle with an adjustable footrest. And why not go overboard and get one with the grooves? We particularly find a footrest with grooves stimulating. It can help jolt back energy into your body so that you’ll not fall asleep. It works wonders for extended working hours. 

And we stressed the word adjustable here. So you have more options and there are more chances of finding the sweet spot. Thus, you’re getting more bang for your buck. 

• Footrest pillow 

If you need more plush comfort for your legs, a footrest pillow might do more good for you. This is perfect if you want to take your shoes off and let your feet breathe. Particularly go for footrest pillows with the right cushy feel and a little give, and it also has to be resilient.

• Avoid slouching

All the accessories that we have mentioned will be to no avail if you will keep on slouching! But sometimes, it’s too tempting not to, especially if you’ve been working all day. We have a quick solution for that!

Try sitting on the edge of your seat for a while. This position will force your back to arch. This also gives your back a nice stretch and prevents you from slouching. Though it’s not advisable to assume this position for the entire day, it works like a charm if done for a few minutes each day. 

• Add wheels

If your office chair doesn’t have wheels yet, opt to get one, if it’s possible. Or maybe get better wheels than the ones your chair has. Another thing that makes an office chair ergonomic is the freedom to scoot along the floor. And good-quality caster wheels will just do the trick.

Scooting along the floors can give your body the needed break from too much sitting. And admit it, it’s fun to roll from one desk to another in an office chair! Unless you are going to buy a more premium chair, these steps will amp up your comfort level. You can still make chairs with less ergonomic features comfortable.