There is a phrase that’s emerged in the wellness community over recent years – “sitting is the new smoking.” That’s right. The number of hours logged by office workers, the majority of which are spent sitting in the wrong type of chair, is wreaking havoc on their collective bodies. If your job requires you to sit for multiple hours per day, which – let’s face it – is very likely, then you’ve got to take all necessary precautions to protect your spinal health and body mobility. 

That’s why it’s so important to choose the right office chair for your spinal health and mobility. If you’re an office worker who logs 40 hours per week, that’s a lot of time spent sitting. Do the calculations and you’ll see that it translates to over 1,500 hours of sitting per year. That is, provided you have four weeks of vacation and only spend 80% of your day sitting. Which doesn’t even take into account your commute! 

Having the right chair, whether for your home or office, is crucial to maintaining spinal integrity and overall mobility. 

Why Do I Need a Quality Office Chair?

In addition to keeping a healthy and mobile body, there are a number of studies conducted that demonstrate how a supportive, ergonomic chair both increases productivity and maximises efficiency of the worker. Whereas a poor quality chair can increase back soreness and strain, leg issues, as well as carpal tunnel syndrome. All of these issues in turn lead to lost work time and decreased productivity. 

What to Look For in an Office Chair

There are a number of factors to consider when selecting the right office chair for you. The first is lumbar support. Lumbar support is crucial to keep your lower back safe and protected. The best office chairs allow you to adjust the lumbar support to customise the chair to suit your needs. This is a huge preventative measure that can be taken in order to prevent worsening back problems or sciatica, a common nerve problem that affects chronic sitters.

Another factor to take into consideration is adjustability. Virtually all office chairs on the market have adjustable armrests and height, however, you can find some chairs that have up to 15 adjustable features! These include lumbar support, angle of seat and back, width and height of the seat back, as well as tension control, among others. 

Wheelbase is also important, particularly if you have carpeted floors in your home or office. If that is the case, you should invest in an office chair that has wheels specifically designed to easily roll on carpeted floors. 

The fabric a chair is made of plays an important role in comfort and breathability, particularly in a hot office.

Finally, the swivel base is important to reduce strain when reaching. Overly straining as a result of a poor swivel base can result in back strain and arm fatigue. 

For a chair that ticks all of the boxes, consider the gold standard. With its original model introduced in 1994, the Herman Miller Aeron chair in Australia has only gotten better with age. 

Why Is a Good Chair Important?

We’ve covered the major benefits of having a good office chair. In addition to minimising back problems, a supportive, ergonomic chair reduces discomfort and fatigue as well.

Comfortable people are more productive people. In addition to increased productivity, this also facilitates a more positive work environment.