Do you spend more than 6 hours a day working at a desk? Do you often experience pain (in your back, shoulders and neck) by the end of the day? If the answers to both of these questions are yes, you might need to change the chair you’re using. Sitting in the same position for a long time is not good, as it exerts excessive stress on the spine. Ergonomic chairs are quite different from traditional ones – they are specifically designed to support our bodies.
But what makes ergonomic chairs good for us? Here are just some of the benefits that you can hope to receive:
Traditional chairs might actually be a key reason why we tend to have incorrect posture whilst sitting. Ergonomic ones will take these problems into consideration – they have all the necessary features, including head and back rests that support our natural posture whilst sitting. Moreover, the height is adjustable to keep our feet flat on the ground.
Ergonomic chairs are far more comfortable than traditional ones any day of the week for the simple reason that they’re user friendly. All of the features can be individually adjusted to fit your needs until you’re completely comfortable. Everyone is different, so the height and lumbar support that suits one person may not suit someone else.
Without adequate neck support, you’ll eventually develop stiffness in your neck and shoulder region after sitting for a long time. This can even lead to complications, like cervical spondylosis. These chairs have head rests, which support your head and neck even when you want to stretch out. This is actually a great feature for those who work the phones.
These chairs also come with a backrest that supports the natural curve of our spines. Unlike traditional seating, they are actually high enough to support the entire back. Some even come with a reclining function that allows us to rest at angles greater than 90 degrees, which can help to stretch the back and get rid of all those kinks.
Traditional seating has a hard surface, so when you sit extra pressure is exerted on our hip region. Ergonomic chairs, on the other hand, have good seat depth (measuring 2 to 4 inches from the back of the knees) that supports the hips and buttocks. This works to reduce the pressure placed on our hips, helping us to stay comfortable for longer.
As we have already mentioned, all of the features of these chairs are adjustable. This means that they can be changed to accommodate the different activities that your job might entail, from answering the phone to typing on a computer. They also have a swivel feature, which enables you to move around swiftly without having to strain yourself.
It is important to understand, however, that ergonomic chairs are not the solution for all work-related health problems. As well as making ergonomic corrections, you need to be aware of your posture whilst sitting. It won’t matter what sort of chair you’re using if you keep your back slouched – you’re still going to suffer from all sorts of problems. Therefore, some level of physical activity or exercise is also important for maintaining your health.