What are ergonomic chairs?
An ergonomic chair is probably the most common kind of chair that’s widely used in the workplace. The primary reason is that people spend so much time at the workplace, it only makes sense they’re comfortable when at work.
The ergonomic chair isn’t just full of extra comfort and features that help workers in an office to be more productive on the job; it’s also ergonomically designed to make sure employees remain well-rested. These chairs help people stay healthy because they reduce the strain on their backs. An ergonomic chair has many health benefits for those who use them.
Benefits of ergonomic chairs
One of the biggest benefits of the ergonomic chair, which is true for most, is the fact that it helps you maintain a good sitting position. Some of the things people do that can lead to poor sitting positions include slouching, hunching over the desk, or having to sit at a certain angle. All of these can lead to a bad sitting posture, which can be very bad for your body. By sitting in an ergonomic chair, you’ll be at a better angle to avoid bad posture and long periods of tiredness.
If you have a large group of people who are sitting in one chair, then the average amount of time someone will spend sitting in that chair will be much longer. You might be spending as much as half an hour a day in that chair. In an ergonomic chair, all of the people sitting in that office chair will be able to stand up, stretch their backs, and get some exercise. With proper circulation, the body will feel healthier.
An ergonomic chair doesn’t only help alleviate office seat and back problems. They’re excellent for dealing with body pains. The main reason people experience back and leg pain are because they’re in a standing position for long periods of time. When sitting, your body can develop poor circulation. This can lead to various body pains, including muscle pain, joint pain, and even lower back pain.
An ergonomic chair can alleviate the problem of sitting all day by providing you with lumbar support. Lumbar support can eliminate tension on the lower back and relieve some of the pressure that comes with prolonged sitting. A properly designed lumbar spine cushion can also provide additional lumbar support to the hips and thighs. This helps you prevent lower back pain from developing.
What you should look for in a ergonomic chair
Other ergonomic chair features include adjustable seat tilt, armrest, and headrest. Seat adjustability allows you to change the angle of the seat to accommodate different-sized bodies. Armrest and headrest adjustability gives you the option to customize your ergonomic chair to meet your specific head and neck needs. Headlights are built into some chairs, while others don’t have them. If your job requires you to work for long periods of time at a close range of movement, consider purchasing a headlight.
One more ergonomic chair feature to look for is headrest adjustment. A proper fit and strong, comfortable headrest adjustment ensures that you’re comfortable the whole day. If it isn’t comfortable enough to rest your forehead on while working, what’s the point? Make sure the chair has an adjustable headrest to allow you to rest your head in a comfortable position.
You can improve your posture and lessen your workplace injuries by choosing an ergonomic computer desk. In fact, research shows that people who stand on their feet for long hours gain better posture, including a reduction in injuries such as repetitive movement, carpal tunnel syndrome, and whiplash. Office furniture such as desks, computers, and monitors should be designed to promote good ergonomics, or at least maximize the comfort of the workers. Aesthetics must be secondary to this objective.
The next feature to look out for is the seat depth. The seat depth is how far the chair reclines vertically. Ideally, the seat depth should be a comfortable distance for the user. For example, if you are using a laptop computer, you shouldn’t sit so close to the screen that you are touching it. The seat depth should also be adjustable and should be able to be adjusted for most people, regardless of how tall they are.
The fourth feature to check for is height adjustment. Most office chairs come with height adjustment, but not all of them make use of this feature. If the chair does not have height adjustment, you should be able to adjust the height of the seat using the levers located on the side of the chair. Furthermore, the back support should be fully adjustable, and the cushions should be padded for maximum comfort and protection against lower back injuries.
Are ergonomic chairs worth it?
While the prices on ergonomic desk chairs may be higher than the normal prices for office chairs, they will actually last longer. You don’t have to replace them often because of breakage. With proper care, they should last for years.
The Bottom Line
Ergonomic chairs are highly suggested for individuals whose daily routine requires them to sit for a longer period of time. Students, office workers, and even home-based employees will find their posture and body pain improving with the help of an ergonomic chair.
Top 5 Recommended Ergonomic Chairs
Sitting for long hours on a chair can be very unhealthy especially if you’re spending it on a regular chair. It’s good to invest on ergonomic chairs to help keep you healthy while you work (because we have to pay the bills and we can’t afford to get sick).
Herman Miller Aeron Chair
This ergonomic chair is one of the most popular in the industry recommended by many experts. According to a chiropractor, this Aeron chair is a great investment in both your health and well-being although at a high cost. Nevertheless, quality is really expensive and if you’re worrying whether it lasts enough to make it worth the buy, it does.
Its mesh material is designed for full-body support which also adjusts to temperature changes making it a comfortably cool chair. It’s also equipped with lumbar support with its adjustable seat and armrests. The Aeron chair also fits three different sizes to accommodate a wide range of body types compared to most ergonomic chairs that only offer a one-size-fits-all.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Highly customizable (support and design) | Pricey |
| Natural cooling thanks to the mesh material | |
| Can accommodate 3 sizes |
You can shop this at Design Within Reach for $1,070.00 for the standard black version.
Customer Reviews:
“Excellent chair. Very supportive, and glides nicely around my work area. Kind of expensive, but if it lasts 10 years I will be thrilled as I have gone through 3 other chairs in that amount of time.” -Jerome C.
“This was the easiest piece of furniture I’ve ever ordered online. Rolled it right out of the box and adjusted the height and it was perfect! Extremely comfortable!!” -K C
Modway Articulate Ergonomic Mesh Office Chair
The Modway Articulate is considered a mid range ergonomic chair and one of the best buy alternatives if you want quality but can’t afford to pay thousands of dollars for a chair. It has a supportive mesh for cooling and full-body support and adjustable armrests and seat height. It’s very comfortable and you won’t have any major discomfort even if you stay seated for about 8 to 10 hours.
It’s highly suggested to invest in another ergonomic chair aside from this (could be a midrange as well which is still less expensive than just getting an Aeron) for alternatives. While it’s comfortable for a work day, it’s not highly recommended for a whole week of work. It’s best to get variety to decrease chances of stress injuries.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Very affordable | Not highly-recommended for repetitive seating |
| Quality comfort | |
| Natural cooling thanks to mesh material | |
| Adjustable armrest and seat height |
You can shop this at Amazon for $171.50.
Customer Reviews:
“I love my chair! All the adjustments you can make allow me to be quite comfortable for hours. I had back problems with my dining room chair with a cushion, so this really helps. Also, I had planned to buy a floor protector for my hardwood floors, but the rollers on this chair don’t seem to hurt the floor at all. Also, the price for this chair, shipped to Hawaii is amazing. Amazing Amazon!
Postscript: After using this chair for several months, I still love it, and my back (I have had lower back problems for years) hasn’t bothered me since. Maybe my best Amazon purchase!” -Mountain Charlie
“My back pain got better within 10 minutes of sitting on this chair. I’ve been using a really crappy, ancient office chair for two years now and it’s done a number on my back; I’ve had this chair three days now and my back feels better not just sitting in this chair, but in general. The lumbar support is awesome.
The ergonomics on this chair, aside from the armrests being a little awkward if you like to lean back a bit when you type, are great. Having the back AND seat tilt be separate and lock/unlockable is so, so nice. The colour is a lot more yellow than the stock pictures show. It’s more highlighter yellow than it is green. I love it but would’ve preferred a more accurate representation on the site. The assembly is simple and straightforward. The seat is just amazing. The waterfall seat with the divots for your legs instead of just being a flat “board” I guess is like sitting on a cloud.
However, the mesh on the seat has very deep holes and it’s impossible to get little specks of fluff out without vacuuming it. I also wish it could tilt back just a *little* farther, about 5-10° would be great.” – Dante
Ticova Ergonomic Office Chair
The Ticova Ergonomic Office Chair is highly-recommended for its completely customizable headrest for your neck and head, a feature that most ergonomic chairs don’t have. Aside from the solid lumbar support that it provides, it also promotes an effortless upper back posture. Aesthetic-wise, this is one of the most good-looking ergonomic chairs accentuated with its slim design.
But that slim design also poses an issue. While petite-sized users generally don’t have any major discomfort with the chair, many bigger sizes experienced a bit of discomfort due to the width of the seat.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Customizable headrest | Restricted seat width size |
| Affordable | Not adjustable |
| Quality comfort for petite-sizes | Durability issues |
| Aesthetically pleasing |
You can shop this at Amazon for $260.00.
Customer Reviews:
“The chair arrived very soon. It’s well packed and protected, without a single scratch. It’s not a light one, which means it’s really stable, but it’s also easy for me to install it alone around 20 minutes.
As for the design of the chair, I love both its neck and lumbar support, which are flexible and comfortable. No matter how deep you sit, they can offer firm support. The neck support can also be adjusted up and down for people with different height. The armrest can also be adjusted. In fact, there are a lot of freedom given in installation, so that I could find the best setting for myself after a few tries.
I sit in front of my computer many hours each day, so quality of the seat cushion is really important for me. This chair’s seat cushion is quite thick and soft. I still feel good after sitting for hours each day. Also, the wheels are quiet and smooth to move around.” -Haoyang
“Unfortunately I was disappointed with this chair once assembled. The chair just feels cheaply made. I notice it “rocking” front to back and side to side. Not as sturdy as I would have expected. For the price, there are much better quality chairs out there.” -Amazon Customer
Steelcase Gesture Chair
When you say ergonomic chairs, a list of best-recommended is never complete without the Steelcase Gesture. Like the Herman Miller Aeron, this is quite pricey but you’re rest assured that you’re getting the best comfort as it’s backed with many awards. It’s dubbed as a revolutionary office chair design that not only provides full body support but also accommodates a wide range of natural body positions and sizes.
It’s comfortable with seats and pads made from the best quality materials. Not to mention that they also provide customizable designs to fit your chair seamlessly into your workspace aesthetic. The Gesture is also a very durable chair with dependable adjustment knobs for tilt and motion.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Customizable design | Pricey |
| Full body support | Heavy (70 lbs) |
| Highly adjustable | |
| Option for headrest |
You can shop this at Amazon for $1,150.00.
Customer Reviews:
“It is super comfy and just about everything is adjustable, but once you find your preferred settings, you probably won’t ever touch them again. Sitting in this chair is not a life changing experience. After awhile it just becomes a regular chair instead of a thousand dollar chair.
When guests sit in this chair, they have no clue that it costs a thousand dollars, and when I tell them, they look at me like I’m an idiot and seem generally unimpressed — bragging about my thousand dollar office chair is part of the reason I bought a thousand dollar office chair, so I feel that the value is slightly diminished when I don’t get smug satisfaction out of telling people about it.
Oh by the way, this thing ships fully assembled and the box is enormous so I hope you live on the first floor.” -Justin
“It is intuitive and very easy to sit in different ways. I had to work 20 hours straight earlier this week, spent it all in the Gesture chair, and not a single complaint on how my back felt afterward or anything else. Including the fact that I never felt overheated in the chair (cloth version). Which ultimately I think is a pretty good test. And having done the same in the Leap many times it also passes that test. Which would I say is “better”? It’s hard to say, the Gesture wins in the highly and easily adjustable arms, and smooth and supportive leaning back.” -Jake
Serta Mid-Back Office Chair
Serta was first known for their quality mattresses but they have now also ventured into ergonomics. Design-wise, you will definitely feel the origin of the chair with layered body pillows designed for both comfort and support. The padded armrests are adjustable using a push button with cable actuated levers to control the lift as well as lock-out features.
It also offers a posture-correcting tilt technology to keep your back in a neutral position that prevents pressure on discs while promoting spinal movement. It’s a great cushiony ergonomic chair to get you through the day.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Full body support | No circulation due to fabric |
| Adjustable armrests | |
| Cushion comfort | |
| Posture correction tilt technology |
You can shop this at Amazon for $252.29.
Customer Reviews:
“This chair seems to be of good quality. It was easy to assemble and looks very good. It has a seat that functions in a way that I have never seen before; the part you sit on pivots freely, and it is connected to the lumbar support, so that when you lean forward at your desk it tips and the lumbar support tips with it, keeping pressure on your lower back. I don’t know if this is for everyone, but I really like it. The rest of the chair is fully adjustable in the normal ways. I would recommend this product.” – Amazon Customer
“1. If you are tall, get a different chair. The complaints that this chair is small are totally valid. I am 5″5′ about 130 lbs and the chair fits me perfectly. If you are 5’10 / 5’9 or over, it might not fit your body as you want. If you have the chance to view it person before ordering it, i’d recommend it.
2. I am a writer and sit most of the day. I used to have to put a pillow behind my back to get proper lumbar support. This chair has by far the best lumbar support of any chair I have ever sat in. It comes with an additional lumbar pad you can slide over the normal one. I use both. It is wonderful.
3. The people who complain about the lumbar feature of this chair over-exaggerate I think. Yes, the chair moves with you if you lean forward, but it is not some kind of robotic arm that is pushing you forward to the point of discomfort. Honestly, I barely notice it when I lean forward. It only goes to a certain point, it is not oppressive, and while the “back in motion” feature is a fantastic idea, I am not totally sure it achieves what they want. But, it is still a wonderful chair with a soft seat, great lumbar support and looks fantastic.” -Evan
