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How To Choose An Office Chair

by on Sep 20, 2008

Apparently there’s more to choosing a chair for your home office
than going to Ikea and picking the prettiest one they have.

An office chair with bright colors all over it.

According to Chiropractor Rodney Lefler, DC, there are some specific things to look
out for when choosing a chair that won’t hate your back.

  • Seat height. Office chair seat height should be easily
    adjustable. A pneumatic adjustment lever is the easiest way to do this.
    A seat height that ranges from about 16 to 21 inches off the floor
    should work for most people. This allows the user to have his or her
    feet flat on the floor, with thighs horizontal and arms even with the
    height of the desk.
  • Seat width and depth. The seat should have enough
    width and depth to support any user comfortably. Usually 17-20 inches
    wide is the standard. The depth (from front to back of the seat) needs
    to be enough so that the user can sit with his or her back against the
    backrest of the ergonomic office chair while leaving approximately 2 to
    4 inches between the back of the knees and the seat of the chair. The
    forward or backward tilt of the seat should be adjustable.
  • Lumbar support. Lower back support in an ergonomic
    chair is very important. The lumbar spine has an inward curve, and
    sitting for long periods without support for this curve tends to lead
    to slouching (which flattens the natural curve) and strains the
    structures in the lower spine. An ergonomic chair should have a lumbar
    adjustment (both height and depth) so each user can get the proper fit
    to support the inward curve of the lower back.
  • Backrest. The backrest of an ergonomic office chair
    should be 12 to 19 inches wide. If the backrest is separate from the
    seat, it should be adjustable in height and angle. It should be able to
    support the natural curve of the spine, again with special attention
    paid to proper support of the lumbar region. If the office chair has
    the seat and backrest together as one piece, the backrest should be
    adjustable in forward and back angles, with a locking mechanism to
    secure it from going too far backward once the user has determined the
    appropriate angle.
  • Seat material. The material on the office chair seat
    and back should have enough padding to be comfortable to sit on for
    extended periods of time. Having a cloth fabric that breathes is
    preferable to a harder surface.
  • Armrests. Office chair armrests should be adjustable.
    They should allow the user’s arms to rest comfortably and shoulders to
    be relaxed. The elbows and lower arms should rest lightly, and the
    forearm should not be on the armrest while typing.
  • Swivel. Any conventional style or ergonomic chair
    should easily rotate so the user can reach different areas of his or
    her desk without straining.

So now you know!

I found the information here, they also have a-find-doctor feature that might help if the chair you have has been beating you up.

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