Last updated on May 16th, 2023
When sitting down for a long period while working, it is incredibly easy to develop back pain. Bad habits such as slouching forward or craning your neck are certainly a factor, though they are difficult to address. Ergonomic office chairs are specially designed to correct your posture and keep you working pain-free for hours on end, ensuring that your desk job does not get the better of you and keeping you healthy, happy and comfortable.
What are the Key Reasons an Ergonomic Chair Will Improve Your Back Pain?
The best ergonomic office chair Sydney has to offer can sometimes seem like a hefty investment, but they are definitely a worthwhile one. Unlike some luxuries, they are not the kind of thing you will have to replace every year; they are designed to stand the test of time. A typical 9-5 job with a 1-hour lunch break means that you could be sitting still for as long as 4 hours at any one time.
Even assuming you stand up to stretch your legs once an hour, you are still sat down for the majority of the day. With more people than ever working from home, the incentive to leave your chair is even lower – without the need to get up or leave your computer to participate in team meetings or to take your breaks, you could very well be stationary for the entire workday.
These Are the 7 Reasons That Will Improve Your Back Pain:
- Better Posture
- Enhanced Comfort
- Better Weight Support
- Reduced Head Tilting
- Shoulder Correction
- Lumbar Support
- Flatter Feet
1. Better Posture
The quality of your seat foam is undoubtedly the most important part of any office chair. A good quality seat foam will provide added comfort and support to the base of your spine. This is closely followed by your backrest as an important part of your chair for ensuring proper posture. Severe slouching can lead not only to back pain but also to lasting spinal issues.
Rather than having to check your posture, an ergonomic office chair will have an adjustable backrest that naturally supports the way you sit so you no longer have to think about it.
2. Enhanced Comfort
Having a more comfortable seat makes you less likely to fidget which can prevent irritability. When you are uncomfortable, small amounts of pain can become heightened, leading to more egregious torment.
Ergonomic chairs have adjustable seats which can be configured across multiple axes to best fit your body. Since the majority of your weight while leaning forward is on your thighs, sometimes a seat that inclines towards the edge is all you need to combat discomfort.
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3. Better Weight Support
Normally your back pain from sitting will be due to a subconscious factor, which is definitely the case when it comes to the integrity and sturdiness of your chair’s mechanism. If you perceive the chair to be too weak for your full weight, you may try to sit lighter or move less upon your chair to avoid damaging it, which in term leads to lower and middle back pain.
Knowing how sturdy your ergonomic chair is means you will sit more naturally and avoid damaging your back.
4. Reduced Head Tilting
When reading something from a computer, people naturally tilt their heads forward which can strain the neck, causing long-lasting neck and upper back pain and even leading to dislocation.
Most ergonomic chairs have neck and headrests which allow you to more comfortably keep your head in the same place with less tilting and thus less impact on your neck muscles.
5. Shoulder Correction
Much like your neck, your shoulders and their positioning directly impact your upper back. Without resting your arm while using your mouse and keyboard, you can strain your shoulder muscles.
Ergonomic chairs with armrests, of which some armrests are adjustable, raise your arms in a way that does not incur unwanted strain or tension.
Many people with non-ergonomic chairs will end up pressing a cushion between their lower back and the chair to relieve tension.
6. Lumbar Support
Many people with non-ergonomic chairs will end up pressing a cushion between their lower back and the chair to relieve tension.
This is because the bottom of your back naturally curves inwards, so supporting that area is good for you – ergonomic office chairs are naturally designed to fit this curve and some even come with customized lower back cushions for additional support.
7. Flatter Feet
Adjustable height has become the main staple of computer chairs, but the added ability to adjust the angle of your seat is exclusive to ergonomic models. Both of these help you to sit with your legs at a right angle with your feet planted flat on the floor.
Even the positioning of your legs and feet can lead to back issues, so it is vital to ensure every part of your body is supported when choosing the best executive office chair to reduce back pain.
With desk jobs on the rise, it is less a matter of if you should invest in an ergonomic chair and more an issue of when. Acquiring a premium chair sooner rather than later can potentially save you years of unnecessary back pain.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Here are the important things to ask when purchasing a new office chair. By considering these simple things, you can judge which ergonomic model is right for you.
What is a good ergonomic office chair for a student?
Students will benefit from ergonomic chairs which have good lumbar and back support for studying. As they have less disposable income, they should look for effective low-priced models, preferably ones that are easily portable.
Are high-end ergonomic chairs really worth it?
Like all luxury investments, you pay for quality. The most expensive ergonomic chairs are heavy-duty models which last longer, support greater weights and have a wide range of adjustability to give you a tailored experience.
What are the benefits of ergonomic chairs?
Ergonomic chairs have more optimization features such as the level of recline and the tilt of the seat. Most importantly, however, they provide you with high-quality seat foam (for added comfort and lower back support), and proper upper back and lumbar support and are designed to make you as comfortable as possible for long periods of time.
18 Questions to ask before buying Office Chairs
