What should a chair have to protect our backrest? We analyze and see how ergonomic chairs help us improve our state of health in the office. Top tips on how to choose an office chair for work! Many times we write about what happens to us in everyday life with the intention of learning. This time, we have a partner who suffers from lumbar problems, and we have proposed to buy an ergonomic chair for the office or those that provide virtues and benefits to having a comfort ten how long you feel.
How to choose an office chair?
Normally, between 60 and 70% of office furniture is ergonomically inappropriate. It is necessary to consider. What does the posture adopted by a person in his job depend on? The physical design of the work, that is, to a large extent, the characteristics of the chair.
Tips on how to choose an office chair
- Always opt for an ergonomic seat design
- You must look how long you will be sitting
- A good backrest in the chair is health
- Adjustable arms if they matter
- Look for a seat that has horizontal movement and is curved
- Must have height adjustment
- Do not ignore the upholstery
- Be careful with the feet of the chair
- Must have wheels
It is necessary to prevent, it is the main advice on health, that is, to sit well. And as a reminder, back problems do not come when you’re young, they come with advanced ages, and here the remedy no longer works. So take note of how to choose an office chair.
Always opt for an ergonomic seat design
When you ask yourself. How should the design of an office chair be? The quick response is “comfortable.” But ergonomics and comfort, in reality, are two different concepts, although linked.
When we talk about a ” comfortable chair ” it will not reduce our pains so that we do NOT change positions for many hours. And there, according to experts, is where the greatest musculoskeletal conditions occur.
How to know if a chair is comfortable for me? .. If the angles of your hips, knees, and ankles are not comfortable at 90º, then the chair is too high or too low. All your joints should stay at 90 degrees.
The study of the ergonomics in a chair allows the worker to suffer the least number of sequels possible when sitting and executing his work.
The quality chairs are covered by certified ergonomics studies to prevent occupational diseases (In Spain, a well-known certifying entity is the Institute of Biomechanics of Valencia ).
You must look how long you will be sitting
At first glance, this may seem silly, and in reality, in many cases, we do not know. But what we can recognize is that the manufacturers approve the chairs for the hours that we will be sitting.
Many computer chairs or Gaming chairs are only approved for daily use for 4 hours, instead of the 8 that are normally assigned to those of dispatches – agencies.
An ergonomic chair is used to prevent occupational diseases, but also, we should exercise the muscles throughout the day.
It is recommended that at least every 2 hours we get up and perform stretches (back, neck, legs, and arms) to avoid overloading the muscles and numbness of the legs due to a lack of blood circulation.
A good backrest in the chair is healthy
Back support is the main goal of many ergonomic chairs, but what makes a chair good regarding back support?
Ideally, the work seat should do a couple of things to prevent cervical problems:
- Provide support for the back with an inclination of 90 degrees or up to 90 degrees.
- Include cushioning that pushes your back forward when you sit in the chair.
As we can see in the image, with these adjustable mechanisms, we obtain ergonomic chairs to prevent cervical problems.
The lumbar support is essential to prevent stooping and minimize the load on the back. With this in mind, also, the backrest of an ideal ergonomic office chair is between 30 cm and 50 cm wide.
From a technical aspect, the maximum pressure in the back is the most related to the appearance of problems of discomfort, since maximum pressures greater than 40 KPa give rise to discomfort in most users. For example, we leave an analysis of an approved endorsement:
As we see in the table, it is observed that the seat provides a support surface to the user with maximum pressures that do not exceed the 40 kPa limit. Thus it is considered that office chairs are suitable for people with back problems.
Does the lumbar cushion work for anything in a chair? It serves to prevent herniated discs and to rest the vertebral discs. However, according to experts, each case is a world: some people have hyperhidrosis and will need it, but other users. For example, who have a rectification of the column, will not need it.
If you are not sure, you need it, better not use it and consult the relevant doctor. He is the one who can best advise you!
Adjustable arms if they matter
We know, a chair without arms is cheaper, and in reality, we practically do not use them. But are armrests needed in office chairs? The function of the armrest is so that the limbs rest and we can change the position throughout the day or support us to get up.
The minimum we should have the regulation in height, although at the moment the chairs commercialize adjustable arms according to the different movements. For example, We can find them in different materials, although the most common are polypropylene or aluminum in the highest range.
Look for a seat that has horizontal movement and is curved
The movement of the horizontal feel serves to adapt the base to both the backrest and the position of the knees. The seats finished in cascade (curved downwards in the part of the knees) prevents the feel catches you behind the knees.
The tray where we sit should be soft and contoured so that it does not cause compression on the buttocks and thighs.
For those of higher range, other comfort systems are provided that will benefit the health in the chair. For example, we can see the following scheme where there are already seats with air chamber, which have flexible sheets or even swing seats:
If you have a large body mass or some extra weight, you have to ask what type of chair is appropriate. There are limits on the weight and the manufacturers designate it in the labeling.
Must have height adjustment
Virtually all seats, armchairs and individual chairs that we find in the market and are intended for work, has a height adjustment to match them with the furniture of the office or the respective workplace.
This aspect is mandatory. So, cheap chairs without height adjustment are not good for your health. They do not allow to adopt the correct position! … What height of work plane is recommended for my job?
The height adjustment of the seat is made through a gas pump. The measures, although they depend on the manufacturer, normally the regulation starts at 42 cm and ends at 53 cm.
Remember that if you are very tall, ask to see the available options and what would be the best seat that is adopted at your height.
Do not ignore the upholstery
In all cases, in the choice of upholstery, it has its advantages and disadvantages. The upholstery of an office chair must be breathable, hypoallergenic, non-slip, lightweight and designed to withstand its use, both for the backrest and the seat.
When we are going to choose a chair, they will tell us what type of upholstery we want; from natural leather, leatherette – synthetic leather, polypropylene, fabric with different technical finishes or backs in chairs with mesh.
Choosing the ideal materials and fabrics is not usually a problem a priori (Normally we end up choosing according to decoration and price) and highlighting that the technological fabrics provided by the manufacturers nowadays have excellent qualities at consistent prices.
If you ask us, what is the best upholstery? … Directly natural skin. It has comfort, resistance and promotes perspiration. Against, the high price.
Be careful with the feet of the chair
The base must have stability and be resistant. Beware of chairs that have 4 feet (they are very cheap). An office chair that maintains stability will need 5 feet of support. Sign up!
As for the finish, we can choose between a considerable variety, both in materials and colors. For example, the most common types of of chair finishes are:
The chair should have a stable constitution, we all tend to lean more to one side than the other, and the seats that lean to one side or another according to our weight, this could generate back pain by generating a curvature of the spine ( Scoliotic positions).
Must have wheels
It is also one of the basic aspects and that practically all manufacturers provide it. The market itself offers us some different types of wheels according to the needs of the chair.
For example, the most common types of chair wheels are: We have reviewed all the characteristics that a chair must have so that we are well in our job. Remember that health is ours and preventing possible injuries is not an option, it is an obligation if we want to have a decent future.
If you liked the article, share!
0
0
Average Rating