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The Ultimate Guide to Purchase the Right Office Work Chair

Find out the best ergonomic chair alternatives for offices and the top considerations that you must make to buy office work chairs according to your needs.

The Ultimate Guide to Purchase the Right Office Work Chair

In most workplaces, employees sit on a chair and work for longer hours. This increases the risk of compounding back problems. Using an ergonomic chair, instead of other types of chairs, can help minimize the chances of an injury due to seating problems.

With that said, ergonomic chairs are available in different forms these days. Which one of them is the right choice for you? Read on to find it out.

Which type of computer chair is the best for you?

When it comes to choosing a cheap computer chair, you can choose from a wide range of options. However, there is no hard-and-fast rule for it. You need to look for some features to choose the right unit, though. This way, you will be able to choose a unit that will be the best for you.

You can explore different kinds of office work chairs before deciding on your preferred option. Currently, the following chairs constitute the top alternatives to typical office chairs:

  • Kneeling ergonomic chair: This type of chair is different from other chairs as it does not have a back. It improves the posture of a user by keeping their neck, shoulders, and back in a proper alignment. Even better, it slides the hip in the forward direction. In most cases, spine compression turns out to be the reason for the tension in the leg muscles and the lower back. A kneeling ergonomic chair provides a viable solution to the problem arising from it. While it minimises spinal compression on one hand, it shifts the body weight between the knees and the pelvis on the other.
  • Saddle ergonomic chair: Named after a saddle, due to its shape, this chair is an excellent computer chair. It enables users to sit in a horse-riding position or the position that is intermediate between sitting and standing. In this position, you can widen your leg and drop them naturally which adds stability to your sitting posture. Whether you are looking for the best sitting solution to address your lower back problem or add strength to your back muscles, a saddle ergonomic chair is a perfect choice for it. 
  • Exercise ball ergonomic chair: This ball-shaped chair is another useful computer chair. When it comes to encouraging the movement of muscles and promoting blood circulation, an exercise ball ergonomic chair fares better than the majority of other standard options. Besides, it also reduces stress and fatigue due to which its users can better focus on their tasks. Many employers consider it a valuable addition to their different pieces of furniture as it helps improve the focus and concentration of employees. 
  • Recliner chair: A recliner chair is an ideal choice for those who suffer from degenerative disc disease or lumbar spinal stenosis. It allows users to sit in a reclined position which relieves the back. Because it has a footrest, it is ideal for those who work on a laptop. It is also ideal for those whose primary job involves doing paperwork.

Top considerations for buying the right office work chairs

To a large extent, your budget determines whether you would buy an item or not. However, it does not have anything to do with the right chair for you. By keeping a few things in mind, you can buy useful yet cheap office chairs.

It is imperative to pay attention to the following factors to buy the right office work chairs:

  • Seat height: Unless you are very tall, a seat height ranging between 16 and 21 inches will work for you. It will help you keep your thighs horizontal and feet on the floor.  These are the bare minimum requirements to sit comfortably on a chair for a longer duration.
  • Seat depth, width and backrest: It’s a no-brainer that the width of the seat of a height-adjustment chair must range between 12-19 inches. Plus, it must also have a dept that matches your level of comfort. Some chairs are built with a separation between the seat and the backrest. If you are planning to buy such a chair, find out if its backrest is adjustable.
  • Lumbar support: Do your shift last for several hours? If yes, ensuring support for your lower back is of paramount importance for you. This way, you will be able to ensure that your lower spine structures do not develop a strain. Keeping this benefit in mind, don’t forget to find out if a chair has lumbar support before buying it.
  • Seat material: Cloth fabric and padding are the two elements that mirror the quality of the seat material of an office chair. From both these features, you can form an idea about how your chair may breathe and make you feel comfortable when you sit on it for a longer duration.
  • Armrests and swivel: With adjustable armrests, you can adjust the height to rest your arms comfortably. On the other hand, a swivel will let you rotate to reach different areas of your desk with ease.

Buy an ergonomic chair that ticks all the right boxes for your needs

On the surface, the long list of things to buy the best ergonomic chair may appear a little confusing to you. You could simply the essentials.  Whether you want a backrest to relieve your back or comfortable seating material, jot down your points on a piece of paper to make a checklist. Keep it handy while choosing a unit so that you could refer to it whenever necessary. This will help you buy an office work chair in line with your needs.