What is an Ergonomic Office Chair?

We all know what an office chair is, but what does it mean if we add in that “ergonomic” word?

Well the science of ergonomics is concerned with designing and arranging things people use so that the people and things interact most efficiently, comfortably and safely.

So when we talk about an ergonomic office chair we are really talking about a chair which has been designed so that a person can work in an office environment efficiently, comfortable and safely.

Over the years the office environment has changed and expanded, and now for many includes our homes. The activities that people carry out from their chairs have developed as well as we migrate more to a paperless environment.

It is little surprise therefore the science of ergonomics has responded to the changing requirements with a vast array of ergonomic office chairs which can be a little overwhelming.

We have high, mid and low back chairs, chairs that swivel, tilt, recline and lock into position. We have tension adjustments which regulate how easily those movements can be made. Then we have numerous different materials which the chairs are constructed of.

However, do not despair, it is possible to navigate the world of ergonomic office chairs with more confidence if you take on board what we believe is a very important thing to remember, and that is:

“what is an ergonomic chair for one person, will not be an ergonomic chair for another person”.

That is because our bodies are all different, our work is all different, so the chair which will be ergonomic for us may also be different.

So in our view the best ergonomic office chair is not necessarily the chair which can be adjusted the most, rather it may simply be the chair that has the right amount of adjustments for the work that you do.

So before setting off through the ergonomic office chair journey, just pause and take a few moments to ask yourself the important question, “what really is the work I do?” Armed with this answer the task of finding the right chair for you becomes much more straightforward.