Many people are currently carrying out their jobs remotely, so they are probably not prepared to spend long hours sitting in front of their computers from home. Commonly, none of the home chairs are comfortable in the long term, causing them to suffer from back pain and other discomforts at the end of work hours.
That is when it is really fundamental for you to buy an excellent chair for your work, which allows you to perform all tasks comfortably and diminishing every single possible impact on health. This will help increase productivity while reducing stressors or fatigue.
When you want to buy the best chair for office, especially if it is through the internet, you must take into account some important factors, such as price, brand, quality and, of course, ergonomics. This last factor will help you be able to work without problems and avoid injuries to your back in the long term.
But what is an ergonomic office chair? For a chair to actually be classified as ergonomic, it is recommendable that it meets a number of parameters:
- Be regulated according to each one of the physical characteristics of the final user
- Have a design that adapts naturally and comfortably to the unique shapes of the body
- Ensures balanced pressure distribution
- Allow achieving a comfortable, relaxing and, of course, a really healthy posture.
Back pain among people who work in an office or from home is quite a frequent problem. In fact, little by little, it has become one of the main reasons people stop working in a certain company, especially in times of pandemics. But with the best chair for office, this would cease to be a problem almost immediately.
But ergonomic chairs not only avoid or prevent back pain but also help take care of other areas of personal health. Among these are blood circulation, joint-related problems, headaches or migraines, and even some related issues with the eyesight.
Why should you definitely invest in the best chair for office?
If you have the obligation of spending long hours sitting in front of the computer due to your work, you actually need an ergonomic chair. This type of furniture directly impacts your general well-being and will prevent you from health problems later.
For example, this type of chair allows you to adjust its parts in order to offer you the best support according to your physiognomy. They allow you to regulate the height, the angles, and the supports, which will enable you to have a higher level of comfort and stability during long hours of work.
This, in the long run, will prevent you from having back, neck, head, joint pain, or even problems with your blood circulation. The reason for this is that these chairs allow your body to adopt a completely optimal body posture.
In addition to the obvious physical discomfort that they can cause, the importance of this is that when you suffer from bodily discomforts associated with the workday, you will experience a negative impact on your productivity. You may start to experience high levels of stress, anxiety, concentration problems, a lack of creativity, and even an inability to carry out your tasks effectively during work hours.
If you buy the best chair for office, this will never be an expense, but a rather significant investment, so you must make this decision with a cool head. That is, it is important that you choose the chair with the highest performance and the highest quality that you can with your budget.
In the long term, this investment will help you increase your productivity at work and save you a tremendous amount of money on physical therapies and medications to treat health problems associated with spending long hours sitting in an unsuitable chair.
In general, having a good posture when sitting during work will significantly improve your quality of life. Suppose you do not have an ergonomic chair. In that case, you are likely to experience a large number of consequences, both physically and mentally, which could accompany you for an extended period of your life.
A good chair will accompany you and take care of you for many years, avoiding all these inconveniences. The most important thing is that you choose the one that best suits your particular needs and your space so that your only concern is to fulfill your tasks without affecting your health.
What should you take into account to choose the best chair for office to buy?
Before buying an ergonomic chair for the online office, you should consider some factors, some related to the website where you will make the purchase and others when choosing a specific chair.
In the case of the online store, you must always verify:
- The online store’s reputation among regular buyers: for this, it is enough to research on the web or social networks. This will help you avoid going through a bad time.
- Shipping policies: you must check that the online store you chose ships to your location, the duration of the shipment, and if it will be free or has an additional cost.
- The quality of the products: once you have selected some chairs, it is recommended that you do an online search to verify the quality of the different models or brands, so you will know what to expect.
- The return policy and guarantees: you should check if the store offers you any type of warranty with respect to damages that the chair may suffer. If so, you must verify the conditions of said guarantee and the store’s return policy.
In any case, it is advisable that you take as a habit to verify the security in every single of the online transactions offered by the electronic store before making any purchase, since in this way, you will avoid going through a bad time due to the theft of your personal or bank information.
For the best chair for office to be considered as a piece of really ergonomic furniture, and fulfill its function of avoiding any possible back injuries, it must meet the following characteristics:
Adjustable seat
It is very important that it is adjustable in height since we can fix our torso’s position with respect to the work desk. If the chair is too low, our lower back will suffer. If it is too high, we will force the dorsal part’s vertebrae and muscles and the trapezius.
It should also allow modifying its placement concerning the backrest so that our abdomen is not compressed, which would cause us circulation and digestive problems. The size should be wide enough so that we can sit loosely in the central part and have space around it.
The depth-adjustable seats allow clearance between the edge of the seat and the back of the knee. The objective is to avoid pressure to promote blood circulation, especially venous return. In addition, the front part of the seat must be inclined downwards so that this area of the legs does not oppress us to avoid blood circulation problems.
Adjustable backrest
It is one of the most critical parts of the chair. It should fit the back and offer support in the lower back. It is advisable that it be adjustable in inclination, also that the chair provides the possibility of regulating its firmness and its fixation or mobility of the backrest.
The backrest should be adjustable at different points of inclination, as well as left in a free position to allow rocking during breaks or breaks. In case of allowing rocking, the chair should have a tension regulator to be able to adjust the tension of the backrest to the weight of the person. The higher the weight, the higher the tension and vice versa.
On the other hand, the tilting backrests are good for days that do not exceed five hours. Still, suppose we are going to be longer. In that case, it is better to try with synchronized chairs, where the backrest tilts at the same time as the seat slides forward or backward. With this feature, we never enter into compression postures of the spine or abdomen.
It is highly recommended that the height be adjustable and that the backrest be long enough to cover at least the entire back. Some models allow the addition of a headrest on the upper part that helps to rest the vertebrae in the dorsal area without subjecting the spine to excessive torsion.
To keep the spine aligned and the lower back protected, the backrest must have a lumbar prominence that allows stable support and keeps the back in a natural position. As each back is different, the backrest must have an accessory that allows the lumbar prominence’s height and depth to be adjusted.
Variable height and position armrests
Although there is a debate about the importance of armrests in ergonomic office chairs, the truth is that this feature helps reduce stress on both the elbows, shoulder blades, and the back of users. Likewise, various studies have shown that armrests’ use reduces the load received by the vertebral discs, which helps maintain a much healthier posture.
They should allow us to maintain a comfortable posture, with the arms forming an angle of 90 degrees while we write on the computer, at the same time that they serve as support on the elbows and forearms without the hands being in the air. They are also useful to facilitate incorporation and must be strong enough to support our weight when we get out of the chair.
On the other hand, it is advisable to opt for models that allow us to vary the height and position of the armrests, as well as to regulate their separation from the seat of the chair. In any case, they should not oppress our hips or prevent us from being placed near the table.
Chair base
The wheels on the base allow greater comfort to change position or move around the workplace. The base must have five points of support to provide more excellent stability to movements and, of course, be resistant.
This stability is vital since it is common to lean or lean more on one side of the chair than on the other during use, so the bases must be able to withstand these changes in pressure without significant problems.
Likewise, it is highly recommended to use ergonomic chairs that have wheels at their base, as it allows greater freedom of movement in front of the desk. Some models allow different types of wheels to be placed with various levels of hardness, ideal for adapting the chair to the different floors that we can find: carpet, parquet, stoneware, etc.
Similarly, the wheels can be made of different materials or finishes. The most commonly used are black wheels. However, others with unique characteristics, such as self-braking wheels, allow the chair to remain fixed in any position during use. Likewise, other wheels are antistatic, which are highly recommended if you work with electronic devices for long periods of time.
Chair materials
For maximum comfort, the upholstery must be designed to withstand constant use. One of the aspects that can cause discomfort is the lack of sweat. Therefore, it is important that the back of the chair is built with breathable materials, such as mesh or similar.
There are many types of upholstery for the chair. Still, you should always choose one that is breathable, non-slip, lightweight, hypoallergenic, and, of course, designed to withstand use for several hours.
One of the most used and recommended types of upholstery is natural leather since it is resistant, allows perspiration, and is comfortable. However, chairs upholstered with that material tend to be more expensive. Fortunately, there are many fabrics that offer similar properties for a much more affordable price.
In any case, it is always important to think more about practicality than aesthetic factors since it is a piece of furniture that will allow you to work comfortably and be more productive during the day. You must make sure that that your comfort is assured in every part of the chair.
Improve your quality of life with a good chair
Remember that even though you buy the best ergonomic chair possible for your work, it is essential that you take active breaks during the working day. Spending a large number of hours sitting in the same position could also cause health problems in the long-term.
In any case, when you go to buy a new ergonomic chair to work comfortably, it is better to consult with professionals. They will give you all the help you need so you can buy the best one for you. They will advise you of the best chair for you according to your physical characteristics, your workday, and the type of job you have.