How To Choose The Right Chair
Whether it's a comfortable chair for relaxation at home or a comfortable chair at work, there are certain features that your furniture should have. Much of our chronic back pain could be eliminated or at least minimized. Because we are unique individuals, one size fits all just doesn’t work.
Chairs For Relaxation
When choosing a chair for relaxation, you should think in terms of size. What fits your body?
Probably the most important feature is the depth of the seat. You should be able to sit with your back supported and your feet flat on the floor (even if you are going to elevate your feet at some point). You should have proper lumbar support whether you are sitting up or reclining.
Once you have found the proper depth, you should look at the height of the back of the chair. Do you have proper cervical support when you recline back? Does that support push you too far forward when sitting up?
The third feature is the width of the chair. Do your arms reach both arms of the chair for proper support?
It is impossible to fit everyone with a built in ottoman. Your ankles should be able to fit just over the “waterfall” of the footrest. A chair with a separate ottoman is recommended so that whether you are five feet tall or six feet tall, you will get proper leg support.
Quality of the construction of the chair should also be a consideration. So many times a chair feels comfortable for a few months, but if the support starts breaking down, it can become uncomfortable within just a few months.
Over the years, we have not found a chair that can compare to the Stressless Chair by Ekornes, when offering all of the above features. It is the only recliner endorsed by The American Chiropractic Association.
Chairs For Work
When looking for an office chair, you should not only consider your size, but also your duties. What will fit you and adjust to your work environment?
A fully adjustable ergonomic chair will help prevent many work related injuries and workers’ compensation claims. Again, the seat depth is important. I you are very short or very tall, it is important that the seat is able to move in and out or you should be able t order smaller or larger seats.
The back should be adjustable up and down in order to get the lumbar support correct for your back. Ideally, the back should also tilt forward and/or back so that you can change it according to the tasks that you are doing.
The whole chair should also tilt so that you work forward while writing or working at the computer with the support still against your back. If your chair also has the ability to tilt backwards, it is good to use this feature when talking on the phone for instance, just to change your position throughout the day. In this case, you should look for correct cervical support as well.
For comfort sake and to reduce shoulder stress, it is recommended that office chairs have arms just so you can rest your arms occasionally. If they potentially get in the way of your work, they should adjust up and down and if possible in and out.
It goes without saying that your chair should adjust up and down to accommodate your leg length and also the height of your workstation, but if your feet do not touch the floor, you should also consider a footrest. A footrest can even help a taller person in the fact that it another way to change your position throughout the day.
Your chair (whether it is for relaxation or for work) should accommodate your needs. When it comes to chairs, one size does not fit all.
The Back Store-European Comfort has several ergonomic office chairs to accommodate most needs and price ranges and we offer free ergonomic evaluations.
(Originally published in The Clarion-Ledger Advertising Supplement – Sunday, October 26, 2003)
