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.

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