How to Buy an Office Chair, Quality Office Chairs
One size does not fit all when it comes to picking
out a nice office chair. Most people do not realize
that they might spend more time in their office
chair everyday than they do in their bed. I recently
saw a graph from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics
and found that the average American spends more time
working than sleeping. Now there are tons of
commercials for special beds that can help you have
a healthier body but how often do you think about
the desk chair you sit in 8 hours a day. So I
decided to do a little research on proper work place
Ergonomics. Ergonomics is an important consideration
for the workplace. It can make a huge impact on
everyday comfort and long term health. Now I am not
an expert at ergonomics but here are some tips that
I’ve picked in my research.
Shoulder and Neck Pain
If you are suffering from neck and shoulder pain
consider purchasing an ESI adjustable monitor mount
from EngineerSupply. This will allow you to adjust
your monitor so that the top of the monitor is at
level with your eyes this will allow you to keep you
neck straight. But adding a supportive office chair
can add to the soothing effect of using the correct
monitor height.
Office Chair Lumbar Support
Lumbar support insures that the lower back is in the
correct posture. The lower back is a vital part of
the human body because it supports most of your body
weight. Poor lumbar support can not only cause lower
back pain but it can cause pain to shoot down your
legs. Make sure your lower back is curved-in to help
the spine handle your body weight. Mayline’s comfort
series is great for you lower back. It has unique
features such as inflatable lumbar support and a
tail bone cut out in the seat cushion. A unique
option to help relieve lower back pain is Safco’s
“Knee-Sit” chair. It helps reduce back pain by allow
you to sit in a kneeling position, transferring most
of the weight to the pelvis.
Office Chair Specialty Body Types
Those who are not an average body type might have a
difficult time finding a chair that can adjust to
their specific needs. Because of this Safco offers
the Über series specially made for big and tall
clientele. Tired of everything big also being made
for tall people? Safco offers a specialized
replacement cylinder for those who need the extra
space but not the extra height. Make sure that you
legs are at a 90 degree angle from the chair and
from the ground. Also make sure you have nothing in
you back pockets. This will help reduce Leg Pain.
Mayline’s “Big and Tall” Line is specially made to
accommodate extra weight. Most support up to 450
lbs. It has heavy duty high density foam for extra
comfort and can be purchase in fabric or leather.
Office Chair Arm Rests
To help reduce wrist and hand pain keep your arms at
a 90 degree angle from your body and desk,
comfortably resting on the armrests. (Adjustable
armrests are important to keep your arms positioned
correctly.) Resting your elbows on the armrests will
allow you to relax your shoulders and keep your
wrists straight and off the end of the desk. Most of
the office chairs we carry have adjustable arm
rests. The Mayline FL chair from the Mercado series
for example, has pivoting fully adjustable arm
rests. ESI also carries a full line of adjustable
keyboard and mouse platforms.
Office Chair Posture
Poor posture is a leading cause for pain in the
upper back. Try to keep your shoulders against the
back of you chair in a relaxed position. This will
help ensure that you are not putting unnecessary
stress on your back by slouching forward. Mayline’s
Ulitmo series features a “Syncro Tilt” control. The
“Syncro Tilt” moves both the seat and back of the
chair together. Use this to slightly recline the
chair. This will encourage you to keep your back
against the back of the chair and not slump forward,
causing shoulder, upper back and neck pain.
Office Chair Matching and Office Esthetics
Mayline offers series of office chairs to give your
office a professional look. They carry, matching
lines featuring reception seating, guest seating,
high back office chairs, low back office chairs,
executive office chairs, task chairs, as well as
specialty seating. Matching office chairs give a
distinct professional look instead of a hodgepodge
of chairs in each different seating area. Safco
offers many different lines of chairs, ranging from
specialty, guest, reception, industrial, medical,
stacking and much more! Safco even has a specially
made line of products (a full office line) that is
environmentally friendly. The Sassy swivel chair for
instance is environmentally friendly and has an
extended height option.
Mesh back office chairs have become very popular
lately. I am actually sitting in one right now. The
mesh back not only provides a unique esthetic but it
is practical too. It also allows one’s back to
breathe so one doesn’t over heat. Did I mention it
is also very comfortable!
Remember, the human body is not made to be in a
sitting position for extended lengths of time. Make
sure to take short walks throughout the day, stretch
in your chair and periodically adjust your sitting
position.
Most of our chairs meet or exceed ANSI/BFIMA
standards. This information can be found in the
product description. These standards are set by a
private not-for-profit group and are set to insure
that the products are durable and reliable and are
sometimes required for government purchases. These
test many features such as back pull, unit base,
swivel cycling, tilt mechanism, seating impact,
front and rear stability, arm strength, back
durability, caster/chair base durability, foot ring
durability and tablet arm tests.
Copyright 2008 EngineerSupply