An ergonomic office chair is an instrument that, when used correctly, can help one maximize back support and maintain good posture while sitting. However, simply owning an ergonomic office chair is not enough-it is also necessary to adjust the office chair to the proportions of the individual's body to improve comfort and reduce annoyance to the low back and neck while sitting.
Before adjusting your office chair, the user should first establish the desired height of his or her desk or workstation. This decision is determined primarily by the type of work to be done and by the height of the person using the office chair. The height of the workstation itself can vary greatly and will require different positioning of the office chair, or a different type of ergonomic chair altogether. Once the workstation has been situated, then the user can adjust the office chair according to his or her physical proportions. Here are the most important guidelines to help make sure that your office chair and work area are as comfortable as possible and will cause the least amount of stress to your spine:
First, begin by sitting comfortably as close as possible to your desk so that your upper arms are parallel to your spine. Rest your hands on your work surface (e.g. desktop, computer keyboard). If your elbows are not at a 90-degree angle, adjust your office chair height either up or down.
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Check that you can easily slide your fingers under your thigh at the leading edge of the office chair. If it is too tight, you need to prop your feet up with an adjustable footrest. If you are very tall and there is more than a finger width between your thigh and the chair, you need to raise the desk/work surface so that you can raise the height of your office chair.
With your bottom against the chair back, try to pass your clenched fist between the back of your calf and the front of your office chair. If you can't do that easily, then the office chair is too deep. You will need to adjust the backrest forward, insert a low back support (such as a lumbar support cushion, a pillow or rolled up towel), or get a new better designed office chair.
Your bottom should be pressed against the back of your chair, and there should be a cushion that causes your lower back to arch slightly so that you don't slump forward or slouch down in the chair as you tire. This low back support in the office chair is essential to minimize the load (strain) on your back. Never slump or slouch in the office chair, as that places extra stress on the structures in the lower back, and in particular on the lumbar discs.
Close your eyes while sitting comfortably with your head facing forward. Slowly open your eyes. Your gaze should be aimed at the center of your computer screen. If your computer screen is higher or lower than your gaze, you need to either raise or lower it to reduce neck strain.
Adjust the armrest of the office chair so that it just slightly lifts your arms at the shoulders. Use of an armrest on your office chair is important to take some of the strain off your neck and shoulders, and it should make you less likely to slouch forward in your chair.
Avoid a fixed posture for long periods of time while sitting. No matter how comfortable you are in your office chair, a lengthy, static posture is not good for your back and is a common contributor to back problems and muscle strain. The following steps can help relieve muscle strain:
• Remember to stand, stretch and walk for at least a minute or two every half hour. Even a quick stretch or some minimal movement - such as walking to the water cooler or bathroom - will help.
• A twenty minute walk will help even more, promoting healthy blood flow that brings important nutrients to all the spinal structures. In general, moving about and stretching on a regular basis throughout the day will help keep your joints, ligaments, muscles and tendons loose, which in turn will help you feel more comfortable, more relaxed and more productive.
Alternative to a traditional office chair:
While this page is about traditional office chairs, some people prefer more active ergonomics, such as the Swopper by VIA (please look at our VIA page), a dynamic stool device, which offers similar advantages to an ergonomic chair.
Most people do not sit correctly, or work under suboptimal conditions. The result is not unusual: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, back and neck pains, eyestrain, and headaches. The strange thing is that many people simply accept these (often minor) aches and pains as a result of using a computer, when in fact these annoyances are easily avoidable with a little planning and effort. The following sections cover various different aspects of sitting at and using your computer, and should, if followed correctly, make your computer experience far more pleasant.
One of the major causes of eyestrain when using a computer can be attributed to glare. Therefore, your computer screen should not be directly next to or directly opposite a bright light or window. Reflected glare can make it difficult to make out what is seen on the screen, and having your eyes constantly adjusting to a bright light directly next to your screen can lead to tension headaches. If necessary, move the light source to another part of the room or invest in heavy curtains. Anti-glare screens can help, but tend to make the text on the screen fuzzy and difficult to read.
Your computer (particularly your monitor, keyboard and mouse) should be at a comfortable height for you when you sit down. This means that your elbows are just above the desk when you sit down at it, and your monitor should be raised if necessary so that you look at it straight on, without having to look down or up. Your feet should be able to rest comfortably on the floor. Your computer should be square with the edge of your desk, so that you do not have to lean in any direction to use it. Your keyboard should not be obstructed with bits of paper, and you should use a mousepad to keep your mouse moving smoothly. The use of cable ties to tidy up the cables running around and behind your desk can make a big difference to the neatness of your work area. If cables are a big problem, wireless keyboards and mice are relatively inexpensive, and newer models use up very little battery power, meaning that a single set of batteries can last for months at a time. When buying a keyboard, try and get one with a wrist rest, as these do cut down on wrist problems.
Your office chair should be your best friend in the workplace. Just imagine how long you have to sit in your chair for a good part of your working day. While it may be time to fire your old chair, make sure that you have a checklist to help you find the perfect ergonomic chair for you. Here are some of the items that should be on your list:
Comfortable ergonomic chairs should match your height. The way you sit in a chair depends on the length of your legs. This then influences your sitting posture. A poorly matched chair for you will leave you with a sore leg with not much room to stretch, while for shorter people, high chairs can force a hanging feeling that can be very uncomfortable after a few hours. Consider purchasing a chair with a foot rest to allow your feet to be firmly planted. Of course there are height-adjustable seats in the market. Just make sure that the height of your seat levels with your knee-cap for a comfortable sitting posture.
Standard office chairs should have an arm rest. This is especially important for employees who constantly use their keyboard. A chair without an arm rest contributes to carpal tunnel syndrome and other stress injuries due to repetitive work. If you are working on a keyboard, the armrest supports your hands by building an elevated pressure on your shoulders. Go for an adjustable arm rest so that you can properly configure your ergonomic office chair for your arm. You will find that there will be less stress on your hands with a solidly built arm rest.
Headrests are critical for supporting not only the head but also the neck. This feature is ideal for employees who constantly work on the phone. However, a chair with a headrest may not be suitable for small office spaces as they tend to be larger than their counterparts. If you are buying a drafting chair with an adjustable headrest, make sure it moves up/down and in/out for maximum comfort.
The back is the most stressed body part when one sits at a chair for several hours. This is the trump feature of all good office chairs. Ergonomic office chairs with strong back support allow employees to sit tighter and develop good sitting posture. A good upper back support ensures that your spine is properly placed in line with the body of the chair while it also catches the width of your back.
There are good reasons behind ergonomic chairs and equipment. Proper sitting, furnishings and work area layout can contribute enormously to avoiding Repetitive Strain Injuries like Carpal Tunnel Syndrome as well as Back, Neck, Shoulder and Leg problems. Below is a list of key points that are considered by many experts to be the proper way to sit while on the job. Although it is best to alter your position frequently to encourage blood flow, if your standard position diverges significantly from the one shown below, you should consider adjusting or upgrading your work area. Remember, many of these problems are not only painful but often difficult or impossible to cure. In this area, "Prevention is always the best medicine".
1. Your head should be above your shoulders. Don't slouch forward. Slouching causes uneven pressure between your vertebrae and eventually neck and/or lower back problems.
2. The top your monitor's screen should be about even or slightly lower than eye level. A too low or too high screen will cause uneven pressure on neck vertebrae. This can be corrected by the use of risers if it is too low. Also, the monitor should be directly in front of you, not to the side. Additionally, position the monitor so there is no glare on the screen. If this isn't possible, you may need a glare screen. Glare not only causes eye strain but may make you sit abnormally in order to see the screen clearly.
3. If you use hard copy often, it should be kept close to the monitor in an upright position. Laying reference material on the desk not only makes it difficult to read and keep your place but causes unnecessary head movement and strain. A variety of document holders are available to correct this like the one shown.
4. If your keyboard and mouse are on your work surface, you should consider an adjustable keyboard/mouse tray like the one shown. Having your keyboard/mouse on the desktop causes significant undue strain on your wrists by creating too much wrist bend and also can position you too close to the monitor.
5. Your keyboard should be tilted back as shown, not forward as frequently seen. Your keyboard tray should have an adjustment for this. This keeps your hands from being bent up at the wrist which is a common cause of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS). Also, place your palms on a wrist rest, not your wrist. Just the weight of your arm can cause enough pressure on the underside of your wrist to impede blood flow and cause symptoms related to CTS.
6. Your hands should be kept in-line with your forearms. Bending your wrist up/down or to either side causes the tendons running through your wrists to rub against their protective sheaths more than necessary and become damaged. The damage leads to swelling and ultimately CTS.
7. Always try to rest your elbows on your armrest with your hands even with your elbows or ideally, slightly lower. Using your upper body to hold the weight of your arms can strain any number of muscles in your shoulders and back and even cause headaches.
8. Armrests are critical to preventing neck, shoulder, back and hand problems
9. Your chair seat should be tilted forward slightly. This helps keep the natural curve in your back thus reducing uneven pressure on the vertebrae in your lower back. It also helps reduce pressure on the underside of your thighs which can impede blood flow and cause leg and foot problems like varicose veins. The front edge of the seat should be rounded for the same reason. The seat cushion should, in some manner, reduce "pressure points" on your buttocks by spreading your weight evenly over the surface of the seat. This is so your pelvic and tail bones don't carry all your weight and cause discomfort which you may try to avoid by sitting improperly.
10. The back of your chair should not only support your back but help maintain the natural hollow in your lower back. Many chairs have a built-in lumbar support for this reason. The back should be adjustable up and down and back and forward. Ideally, the back should be able to be adjusted while you are seated.
11. Ideally, your chair should have adjustments that can be easily used while seated. The back and seat should have independent adjustments and not a fixed angle as in traditional swivel-tilt chairs. Easy-to-use adjustments help you change your position quickly or help multiple users readjust the chair for their needs. A chair that is difficult to adjust may discourage you from keeping the chair adjusted properly.
12. Your chair should have a five star base. Four or three star bases can tip over.
13. You should be able to keep your feet flat on the floor. Sometimes because the work surface is too high or the user is a bit short, this is not possible even with the chair adjusted properly. If they do not, you should consider a footrest. Dangling feet create undue pressure on the back of your thighs which impedes blood flow. Also, never sit with your legs crossed or any leg up on the chair seat for the same reason.
During your coffee or lunch breaks, be sure to stand up and stretch your legs a bit to get your circulation going. Rotate your wrists and bend your fingers at all of the various joints. Raise your hands above your head to stretch your neck and shoulders, and also consider moving your head side to side and your shoulders up and down. Extend your arms across your body and twist side to side to stretch the upper body. To release muscle tension, consider going on a short walk outside your building. The fresh air should help to invigorate and recharge your body.
Once you are back at your desk, be sure that you continue to maintain ergonomic posture while you are working. This means that you should not sit in a rigid and uptight position, or lean forward into your screen. If you find it hard to relax while sitting at your desk, consider purchasing a new ergonomic chair. If your employer complains about the cost of the chair, simply bring up the high cost of worker's compensation, which should move the process right along!
If you regularly use a computer while working, be sure to practice ergonomic mousing, which means that you always keep your mouse at the same height as your keyboard and avoid letting your wrist rest on a cushion. Your forearm should be free to move the mouse in order to relieve stress on your wrist. Also try to keep the mouse right next to the keyboard to allow your forearm to rotate easily between the keyboard and mouse.