Ergonomic Office Chairs

Benefits of Ergonomic Office Chairs

Ergonomic chairs are something everyone should have if they spend more than an hour a day seated at a desk. Here are the main benefits if you’re wondering why you should buy an ergonomic chair:

Improves Posture

Ergonomic chairs are designed to support your spine’s natural curve. These chairs have adjustable seat heights, backrests and armrests allowing you to maintain a neutral seated position, reducing your likelihood to slouch or be hunched over.

Reduces Back Pain

If you suffer from back and neck pain, it’s likely due to the use of a poorly designed chair. Ergonomic chairs are specifically engineered to provide lumbar support, which helps to correctly align your spine while offering crucial support to your neck and shoulders, significantly reducing strain and discomfort in these areas.

Increases Productivity

When you’re distracted by an uncomfortable chair, your productivity is no doubt going to be affected. An ergonomic chair increases comfort allowing you to focus better and for longer periods.

Improves Circulation

When you are not seated with the correct posture, the circulation in your legs can be reduced which can cause pain and swelling. Ergonomic chairs help keep your feet flat on the ground at a 90-degree angle increasing blood flow.

Things to Consider When Buying an Office Chair

When buying an office chair, there are several important factors to consider to ensure it meets your comfort and ergonomic needs.

Ergonomic chairs offer a far greater range of features and adjustments compared to the standard 3 lever office chair. We understand that everyone’s body is unique and that having a chair you can fully customise to your specific needs is crucial for creating a comfortable and supportive workspace. Key factors to consider include:

Seat Height

It’s the most basic requirement on almost all office chairs and will certainly be a feature on all ergonomic classed chairs. To adjust the seat height on most office chairs you reach for the paddle under the seat on the right-hand side.  The most ergonomically sound position is to be seated with your feet flat on the ground without compressing your thighs which would reduce blood flow to your legs.

Lumbar Support

The lower spine curves inwards and without adequate support can lead to slouching and over time flattening of the natural lower curve. Lumbar support is therefore very important as it gives support to the lower spine and promotes a better posture.

Some lumber supports are integral and inbuilt to the chair whereas some can be added and removed and be moved or adjusted up and down the chair back.  Many ergonomic chairs such as the Chiro High and Chiro Medium Back chair are supplied with pump up lumbar supports in the form of a hand-held air pump, adjusting the depth and firmness to your required level.

Seat Slide

Regardless of your height, the seat slide feature ensures you have proper under-thigh support without restricting circulation. It’s designed to allow a slight gap between the back of your knees and the seat’s edge while keeping your back fully supported by the chair. If you’re taller, you can slide the seat forward to maintain this gap, ensuring your back is optimally supported.

Armrests

Armrests provide suitable support when not using the keyboard to minimise tension in the shoulders and neck area and to take some support or strain off the lower back. Armrests have several different features and specifications including:

• Height adjustable armrests: When armrests can be moved up or down, this ensures your arms are always positioned at the optimal height for you and your workspace.
• Width adjustable armrests: This allows you to avoid overstretching your elbows or feeling confined by narrow armrests. When these armrests can pivot inwards or outwards, this also helps you customise the positioning to your comfort level.
• Padded Armrests: Armrests on ergonomic chairs should ideally be padded to ensure lasting comfort throughout the day.
• Drop down Armrests: When you want to move closer to your desk, they can be temporarily dropped down below the seat until needed again. They also help wheelchair users to move in and out of the chair with minimal interference.

Independent Back Angle Adjustment

Allows you to recline or lean into the backrest without tilting the seat, enabling you to set the perfect seat-to-back ratio for your comfort. This mechanism is also lockable in various positions, and in some chairs, it can be set to ‘free-float,’ allowing the backrest to move with your body as you shift.

Synchro Mechanism

In this mechanism, the seat and backrest move in sync, maintaining the same angle between them. This can be set to ‘free-float’ for better movement or locked at a preferred angle, providing continuous support tailored to your needs.

Headrest Height

Headrests are a useful optional extra if the user has neck and shoulder problems as it allows the muscles in this area to relax and increase blood flow. The headrest is usually only used when the chair is slightly reclined, in thinking mode.

Seat Material

The material on an office chair should have sufficient padding to ensure it is comfortable during extended use. It should also be breathable which is why mesh fabric is often used to enhance airflow and keep you cool throughout the day.

Our Other Ergonomic Furniture

We also have ergonomic office desks that are ideal to use with our chairs to create the ultimate ergonomic office space.

Why choose Office Reality for your office seating?

Free installation

At Office Reality, we believe that upgrading your office should be as stress-free as possible.

That’s why we offer free installation on most of our full product range, ensuring that your new office solutions are set up quickly, efficiently, and without any additional costs.

Free delivery

All of our chairs and furniture are manufactured to the highest standard and delivered for free to UK mainland postcodes.

Expertise

With over 20 years of experience in providing office furniture solutions, Office Reality is a trusted name in designing office spaces that cater to evolving workplace needs.

Our expertise is reflected in our carefully curated product range, designed to offer the best in comfort and functionality.

Customer satisfaction

We prioritise customer satisfaction and offer transparent customer service and support.

All our products come with guarantees, and our customer case studies are a testament to our commitment to quality and reliability.

Can Office Reality help find the perfect office furniture for you?

Office Reality is a proud UK supplier of office furniture for over 20 years.

For more information about our range, or to request a custom solution, please contact our expert team.

We are here to help you create a productive and stylish office environment, so please get in touch if you have any specific requirements.