Ergonomic Office Chair - Are They Beneficial Or Just An Expensive Gimmick?

In recent years there has been a lot of talk about ergonomic office furniture. But, given the cost of good quality ergonomic chairs and desks, is it a worthwhile investment or is it just another ploy to part you with your hard-earned money?

It has been known for many years that a happy worker is a productive worker. So what about a comfortable worker? Are they more productive too?

I remember when I first set up in business as a software developer around ten years ago; my first chair was a dining chair. Boy was that uncomfortable? I soon realised that if I was going to be able to sit at my computer for more than a couple of hours a day, I was going to have to bite the bullet and invest in a purpose made office chair. Not having much money at that time I bought a typist’s chair for around fifty dollars. It seemed so much better. I no longer got numb buttocks but I did notice that toward the end of each working day, I had terrible aches in the back of my lower neck. I put this down to being an occupational hazard.

After putting up with the aches and pains for three and a half years, the chair finally expired and I treated myself to something a little more up market; an ergonomic office chair.

Wow, what a difference it made. I no longer got neck ache and I also found that I needed to take fewer breaks to get my circulation flowing once more. In fact, I noticed that carrying out my daily schedule became somewhat of a breeze.

So what makes an ergonomic office chair ergonomic?

Here are a few guidelines:

1. The base needs to have five castors. This will prevent the chair from tipping when you’re moving around the office floor or reclining.

2. The backrest needs to be either constructed from a material that will form to the contours of your back regardless of your position or micro adjustable at lower and upper levels to give your back and lumbar full support.

3. Adjustable armrests that are wide enough to allow your arms to rest in comfort.

4. A seat squab that is wide enough to allow you to sit comfortably and is either constructed from a material that will form itself to your shape or adequately padded. Some ergonomic office chairs come with squabs that tilt to accommodate your optimum seating position.

5. The covering should be made from a “breathable” material to allow air to get to your body and prevent you from getting hot and sticky.

6. The seat’s height must be adjustable to allow your feet to sit squarely on the floor.

Now, buying a chair that checks all of the above boxes can be rather expensive but when you consider how much more productive you can be, the cost fades into insignificance.

I probably shouldn’t but I sit at my desk for between eight and ten hours a day. I never get back ache, neck ache or any other type of ache for that matter. My only regret is that I didn’t buy my ergonomic office chair sooner. It’s paid for itself many times over by allowing me to work in comfort and enabling me to concentrate on my work without being distracted by my body’s aches and pains.