Ergonomic Computer Chair

Factors in Choosing the Right Ergonomic Computer Chair

Choosing the wrong design of ergonomic computer chair could result in neck, back and tendon problems, and even tendonitis or repetitive strain injury (RSI). This is true whether you just use your computer occasionally or all day long, so make sure that you check out all the features below when making your choice.

As computers become more popular, we are tending to spend more time sitting in front of them! That likely won’t surprise you, but you might be surprised at what can happen to you if don’t have the appropriate type of chair to sit on. Comfy and cozy are not relevant features – you need to choose an ergonomic computer chair that gives support to your back and prevents you from sitting hunched up or overstretching.

Here is some advice on selecting the right ergonomic computer chair, because if you get it wrong it can cause your back and neck a great deal of damage and pain:

Seat Height

The height should be adjustable, preferably using a pneumatic lever since then you can adjust it to the optimum height while sitting on it. The height should be adjusted so that your thighs are horizontal when your feet are flat on the floor without you having to stretch. Any arms on your chair should sit level with the keyboard height.

Seat Width and Depth

The width of the seat should fit you without squeezing, and the depth should be enough so that your back rests against the back of the chair and the back of your knees are away from its edge. Nothing annoys people more than trying to sit comfortably and finding the edge of the seat rubbing and chaffing their legs. Although the back should be able to tilt, it is better straight up than fixed and permanently tilted.

Back Support

The support offered to your back is very important in an ergonomic chair. When you are not sitting correctly in a chair it is the lower (lumbar) region of your back that is most likely to give you pain – from the coccyx up to just under your ribs. Because this is a curved part of your spine, it is the part likely to give you severe pain if it is forced into a more straight position by a chair back that offers no proper support. An ergonomic computer chair should offer you support for your curved lower back that can be adjusted to suit the natural shape of your spine.

The back should also be able to be adjusted up and down – it’s pretty obvious that if your seat can be moved up and down, then the back should likewise because we are not all the same size and taller people will need more distance between the seat and the back than smaller people. If it is also adjustable with respect to the angle of the back, then all the better, particularly if the back is separate from the seat.

Arm Support

You should also be able to adjust the arm supports. As you adjust the height of the seat, the arms would otherwise also move up and down, so arm adjustment is essential for a true ergonomic computer chair. When typing your elbows should be resting on the armrest with your forearms just above it.

Head Support

Many people don’t like head-rests, but they should be available and adjustable so that you can support your head while typing. You are less likely to experience neck pain with this.

Rotation or Swivel

Any good office chair can swivel these days, so that you can reach anywhere on your desk without stretching. Although castors are useful in enabling you to move around your desk without continually standing up, they should not run so freely that your chair keeps moving while you are working.

Leather or Fabric?

Although you might believe a leather covering to be the best for your computer chair it actually isn’t. A breathable fabric is significantly better than a material that will cause you sweat. If you find it necessary to use a cushion to be comfortable, then you haven’t set the computer chair up properly.

Much depends on your budget, because every individual feature on an ergonomic computer chair is liable to add to the cost. What would be the better for you: to purchase an expensive chair with just a few of these features, or an inexpensive one with them all? It is not an easy decision to make, but you should generally be OK with an average model – not too cheap but not too dear – that provides as many features as possible within your budget.

When you purchase a top make you are also paying for the brand, and if you buy a cheap unknown make then it’s more likely to break down – usually a couple of days after the warranty expires, when the adjustments stop working and the covers rip or the stitching comes out. If you can’t have every feature, then the adjustable height and back are both essentials since these are the factors that will most help to avoid back pain.

There is a large number of factors to keep in mind when deciding on the best ergonomic computer chair for you, but you will have a good chance of doing that and finding the chair that best fits your frame if you take all of the above into account.

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To find out more about the factors involved in selecting an ergonomic office chair, visit
Ergonomic Office Furniture
where you will also find out
How to Adjust Your Computer Chair

Mobo Ergonomic Computer Station – unboxing/assembly/review