If you have an office job, you might think the worst injury you could get would be a paper cut, or maybe some unfortunate incident with the stapler. Unfortunately, given how many hours most office workers spend sitting down, your worst enemy may well be the chair you’re sitting in.
The wrong chair can lead to no end of trouble, and ultimately lead to severe back pain which could send you to the chiropractor unless you take steps immediately to correct the issue.
That begs the question, ‘what is a “good” office chair?’ With so many on the market, how can you be sure the one you’re considering is the right one for you?
The chair you ultimately select for yourself should meet three key criteria:
1) When you sit in it, your feet should be flat on the floor, with your thighs making a right angle with your torso. You should be able to achieve this with just about any chair that has a height adjusting mechanism built onto it.
2) When your arms are resting on your desk, they too should make a right angle with your torso.
3) The chair should offer some kind of lumbar support.
Sadly, while many simple task chairs are designed with the first two points in mind, they often neglect the third. Without lower back support, by the end of an eight hour work day, your back is going to be protesting. Over time, that’s going to lead to problems of increasing severity.
The good news is that there are a variety of manufacturers making great office chairs that offer these features, and more. Yes, the more bells and whistles you get on whatever chair you select will mean added cost, but given the amount of time most of us spend in them, it’s worth every penny to find a chair that will not only offer you good support, but make you as comfortable as you can be as you perform your work. You’re worth it!
