Discover How to Pick Out a Comfortable Ergonomic Office Chair

Because of the changing societal roles, many of us are finding ourselves stuck in a chair for the majority of the day. Sitting for extended periods of time can put a lot of stress on the back and spine, leading to back problems and serious discomfort. Choosing a proper chair can help to eliminate these problems and ensure that you end the day just as comfortable as you started. Ranging from $200 to $2,000, a quality ergonomic chair can be more expensive than a regular chair; however, it is an investment into your health and definitely one worth considering. Most quality office chairs will last between 7-10 years based on a 40-hour workweek.

So, what is all this hype about an ergonomic chair, and what does that even mean? An ergonomic chair aims to find a solution to body pains and strains typically created from using a standard chair for prolonged periods. It is a chair designed to best support the body when sitting at a desk. It considers posture, back support, distribution of weight, comfort, and movement.

 An ergonomic office chair will have multiple adjustable parts, uniquely fitting every user. While this sounds great, you may not know all that should be considered when searching for your perfect chair, which is why I am here to help you out. When looking for a proper chair, the first thing you should do is evaluate its adjustable capabilities. A quality chair should be able to adjust fully in height (15″ -22″) and fits those who range anywhere from 5ft to 6ft 4 inches with their feet flat on the floor and knees resting at a 90-degree angle. Think about who will be using the chair and if it will be comfortable for them to sit in. One way to ensure general comfort is by purchasing a chair that allows each element to be individually adjusted, including the armrests, back support, height, and seat.

After careful consideration of the chair’s adjustable qualities, it is essential to evaluate the back support that the chair will provide. There should be adequate upper and middle back support with a backrest that ranges from 12-19 inches wide and supports the back’s natural curvature. I would recommend searching for a chair that has breathable upholstery to allow for an increase in airflow and more comfortable sitting. 

You need to examine the chair’s lumbar support with upper and middle back support. To promote the back’s natural curvature, the chair should have a slight inward curve and be adjustable by raising and lowering the support pad to fit your needs. A chair without lumbar support causes the back to be bent forward in an unnatural way, placing strain on the lumbar muscles and spine, increasing pressure, and reducing blood flow within spinal tissue. 

Along with adjustability, a chair that is able to recline can also decrease the amount of pressure being placed on the low back when sitting by relieving the spinal discs and lower back muscles. The lowest amount of backpressure has been found to occur when you sit at a reclining angle of 110-130 degrees.

Trust me; your butt will thank you later! The actual seat of the chair should also play an important factor in choosing an ergonomic chair. You want to make sure that the seat is the right size for you, meaning that it should be just about 1 inch wider than your hips (typically 17-20 inches wide) and positioned just behind the backs of your knees when sitting on it. It should not be so broad that your arms stretch to reach the armrests and not so close that your shoulders shrug. 

Be sure to check the padding on the seat by looking for a high-quality foam that will allow you to sit comfortably for at least an hour at a time. An improper seating pad can create misalignments in both the hips and back. I suggest purchasing a chair with a waterfall pad, which is rounded at the front edge and slopes slightly to relieve pressure and increase support behind the knees and on the back of the thighs. This allows for an improvement in blood flow to the lower limbs.

After considering all of these tips, it is time to finalize your choice. If possible, you should test the chair for yourself. This will allow you to see the chair in person, try how free and movable it is, determine the best fabric for you and even experience different chair styles. For free mobility and easy movement, it is essential to get a chair with at least 5 spokes at the base. Suppose you get to the store and determine that the standard ergonomic chair is not quite what you were hoping for. 

In that case, I recommend considering a different chair style such as a kneeling chair, saddle chair, exercise ball, or even one that reclines with a footrest. To properly test a chair, push your hips as far back as they will go in the seat and then adjust the seat’s height so that your feet are flat on the floor and your knees are equal or slightly lower than your hips. Change the backrest to a reclining angle of 100-110 degrees while making sure that your upper and lower back are both supported. 

The chair should have an active back mechanism that allows you to frequently and quickly change positions while sitting. Armrests should be adjusted to where your shoulders become relaxed and should be removed if that position is not possible. If you have tested the chair and crossed off all of these boxes, it seems you have found the one, and it’s time to take it home!

Rest assured if you hear what I am saying and want to find the proper chair but aren’t quite sure where to start. Below I have provided a brief list of chair recommendations that will hopefully get you heading in the right direction as you begin your search for the perfect chair.

• High Budget ($$$)
  • Herman Miller Embody
  • Herman Miller Aeron
  • Steelcase Leap Chair 

• Middle Ground ($$)
  • Autonomous ErgoChair 2
  • Nouhaus Ergo3D (best for back and neck pain)
  • Knoll Regeneration

• Reasonable Value / Lower Budget ($)
  • Hon Exposure 
  • Uplift J3
  • Amazon Basics High-Back Executive Chair