5 Tips for Choosing the Right Office Chair

Back to school, back to college for some, back to work for others! Whichever the case, one thing is for sure: Many of us will spend a great deal of time on office chairs, studying or working. Depending on its features, our office chair can either increase our productivity and efficiency, or cause back pain and leg problems, affecting our health, as well as productivity.

So how do we choose the right office chair, which is supportive and comfortable for us, our children or our employees? Here are our 5 top tips!

Lumbar support is simply the chair’s support for the lower back. It’s vital for avoiding back strain, ensuring that you don’t lean back too far or slouch forward too much. Some chairs feature an adjustable lumbar support (height and depth) so that you can get the proper fit for you.

The higher the adjustability of your chair, the better for you! A highly adjustable chair can be “personalized” to suit your needs and maximize comfort. Most chairs are adjustable in terms of height and arms. But apart from that, you can look for the chair’s adjustability when it comes to backrest and headrest.

The adjustable height will help you set your chair to the right level for your desk, while adjustable arms are important for having your arms relaxed while typing. A chair featuring a good backrest will allow you to tilt forward and backward depending on the task you want to focus on. A strong headset will prevent any neck or shoulder issues.

Try to choose a chair made from a breathable material. You don’t want to start feeling uncomfortably warm after a few hours of sitting on your office chair! Don’t forget to also check if your new chair has enough cushion to feel comfortable for extended periods of time.

You may not notice it, but you move around a lot in your office while you’re seating on the office chair. So make sure that your new chair swivels freely, allowing you to move around and reach various areas of your desk, without straining!

Check your chair’s wheelbase to make sure you prevent any tipping or rollovers at your office! Usually, chairs with five spokes offer maximum stability. Don’t forget to look for a chair with casters that are functional in various floor surfaces, including carpets.

So now that you know how to choose the right chair, you may be wondering: When is it time to get a new chair? Well, unless you don’t have an office chair at all, these are the cases when you should start looking for your new chair:

• Your old chair is more than five years old. According to the experts, office chairs should be replaced every five years.
• You have a worn-out chair. Worn materials, torn fabric or bumps in padding may affect your chair’s posture, causing physical pain and health issues.
• You don’t feel comfortable on your chair. If your chair causes you pain, for any reason, then that chair is not for you anymore.