Office Chair – Top Tips to Select the Right Chair for Desk

The
importance of an office chair can be understood by everyone working from an
office.  As you must be sitting long
hours on the desk the desire to look for a comfortable office or desk chair
seems natural. You might be looking forward to replacing the existing chair
with a new one. But before we proceed further let us understand how to find the
right office chair.

Decide
Chair Type

Before
buying a chair, we have to decide about the types of chairs you are looking to
buy. There are different types of chairs in the market and you have to select
one that best suits your requirements. Sometimes your workstation is designed
in a way that only certain kinds of chairs can fit there. Here are different kinds
of chairs to make your selection process easy.

Kneeling
Chairs

Kneeling
chairs, also called stools, have a great presence across the offices. Sitting
on such a chair can improve your posture and spinal health. With its use, your
lower and upper back will be in the correct position. While buying such a chair
you should ensure that your office desk is designed for it.  As these chairs come with height adjustment
features, almost everyone in your office can use them.

Pros

The
use of kneeling chairs can improve your seating position. Your leg, pelvic,
lumbar and thorax would be in the right position. These chairs come with leg
rest so you don’t have to touch your leg with the surface. The height of this
chair is adjustable so it suits multiple employees in your office as it is
customized for none.

Cons

It
is not all pros with the kneeling chairs as it has disadvantages of their own.
These are as follows:

• Such
  chairs are not good for anyone with knee pain.
• Your
  spinal muscles also get tired as there is no backrest. 
• The
  use of trousers is essential as the central bar is between your legs. 

Ball
Chairs

Ball
chairs, also known as exercise chairs, are fast making inroads into office
spaces. Its use improves spinal posture and increases the movement of spinal
muscles. For most people, it improves spine health while you are working in the
office, and that too without extra effort. They don’t come in uniform size and
are available in different height ranges.

Pros

As
the name suggests, ball chairs come with some benefits that include improvement
in spinal posture and muscle activity.         

Cons

Ball
chairs are not without their disadvantages. Some of its negative points are as
follows.

• You
  may experience spinal shrinkage after use for a short time.
• They
  are of big size with no option to adjust the height.
• No
  strengthening is offered to the upper parts of the body.
• You
  have to necessarily wear trousers while using this chair.

Saddle
Seat Chairs

Saddle
chairs are ideally suited for certain professions that include dentists and
anesthetists. People from these professions have to sit for long and often have
to lean forward to perform their duties. These chairs are well known for
decreasing spinal pressure. The use of such chairs improves spinal health in
the upper body and reduces the risk of injuries.

Pros

Correction
in leg, lumbar and pelvic positions and freedom from individual adjustments are
its major pros.

Cons

There
are certain disadvantages of saddle chairs that can be listed as follows.

• You
  need a high desk.  Particularly one that
  comes with height adjustment.
• Wearing
  trousers get necessary as the central bar comes between your legs.
• Your
  spine muscles may feel fatigued due to prolonged sitting.
• A
  saddle chair is a bit costlier than an ordinary chair.  

Ergonomic
Chairs

Ergonomic
chairs are the chairs that are designed to best support the entire body. As you
have to sit for long hours, these chairs are designed in a way that you won’t
have to feel tired. This article refers to ergonomic chairs and how to select
them.

Height
Adjustment

You
are all of the different heights and so a chair with a fixed height could not
be the right choice. But you don’t have to worry as office chairs these days
are coming with height adjustability features. Standard office chairs come equipped
with this feature and levers to adjust the height. Check how comfortable is the
chair when it comes to adjusting the height. Go for a chair that allows
effortless and soft height adjustment.

Backrest
Comfort

Comfort
to your back is also important as you have to sit for long hours at the office.
Here a chair with a great backrest will help you sit for long without back
pain. Look for a chair that offers full back support. However, chairs with
half-back support are also available. Whether you are buying a chair with half
or full control you should ensure that it has a better tilt control.

While
looking for office chairs with back support you should give preference to the
chairs with adjustable backrests. Such chairs have several benefits. You can set
them at a particular angle that best suits your back. Some backrests come
attached with a seat while others are detached. You should choose one that is
best suited for you.

Dimension

The
dimension of the chair is also an important part of ergonomics. So, you should
be careful about the width and depth of the chair. The standard width of a
chair is anywhere between 17 and 20 inches. Chairs with appropriate width allow
you to sit comfortably. But the width shouldn’t be too high otherwise you won’t
be able to use the armrest.

Apart
from the width, the depth of the chair is also important. As you are out to buy
a comfortable chair make sure that its depth is appropriate. There should be a
gap of 2 to 4 inches between the edge of the chair and the back of your
knees.  

Armrest
is Important

The
utility of an armrest can’t be ignored while looking for a comfortable office
chair. Having a good quality and adjustable armrest not just keeps you
comfortable but provides your forearms with an appropriate cushion.
Adjustability is a major factor to consider as a too high or too low armrest
can cause pain. You know the role of a relaxed forearm in carrying out office
work. You should make sure that this forearm is made up of soft material.

Lumber
Support

Apart
from the backrest and armrest, you should also look for lumbar support while
looking for an office chair. The Lumbar is the lower part of the back that
could pain if you don’t have enough support. You should go for a chair that is
ergonomically designed to give sufficient support to enable you to work for
long hours. Prefer a chair that meets the natural contours of the body.  The health of the spine is essential and your
chair designers must understand it.

Seat
Material

It
is seat material that remains under your buttocks and thighs. So, it must be of
good quality to provide you with support. Your seat should have excellent
padding as chairs with good padding and cushioning offer enhanced comfort.  The fabric of the seat should also be of
great quality. We recommend you go for a breathable fabric that keeps the smell
away. Here are the top chair fabric materials to choose from.

Leather

When
it comes to seat materials nothing equals leather. This is one of the top
choices for those looking for breathable seats. Leather seats are also known
for remaining relatively cool.  Seats
made up of leather are easy to maintain and don’t exude bad odor which is one
of the best features of this material. Durability and being stain-free are its
other features.

On
the other end, choosing leather as a seat material is expensive. However, you
have the option to go for faux leather which is relatively cheap.

Chenille

If
breathability is the sole criteria, then Chenille is far ahead of leather.
Chenille which consists of different types of fabric offers a tufted comfort
while seating. From looks to comforts to durability, Chenille has several
things on offer. In addition, being resistant to pilling and wrinkling further
makes it a useful fabric for the office chair seat.

Acrylic

Acrylic
is another good material for an office chair. Being soft in texture, the
material allows you to sit comfortably for extended hours. People looking for
durable office chair cover material use it as acrylic is well known for its
resistance to soil, oil and sunlight. It doesn’t have piling, shrinkage and bad
smell issues. It dries fast after washing which makes it an ideal option for
office chair cover.

Polyester

Polyester
as a fabric for office chair is not new. This
fabric is well known for several qualities that make it an ideal fit. People
looking for a fabric with color retaining ability, anti-shrinking, and
anti-wrinkle properties prefer polyester. Besides, it is also resistant to
stains. Polyester is also resistant to pollens and dust. So, if you have
allergy issues then it is an ideal fabric for an office chair. Not to mention,
it is cost-effective.

Velvet

Velvet
is also a good choice for those looking for an office chair fabric. Soft,
smooth and shiny, it offers an eye-catching look to your office furniture.
Velvet is easy to find and offers various options in terms of colors and
designs. Among other properties, it is resistant to piling which makes it an
ideal choice for office upholstery. From easy availability to pricing, Velvet
could be a great option for office chair fabric.

Easy
Control

You
have a chair that comes fitted with several adjustments features but are these
adjustments easy to use. Can these adjustment controls be reached without much
effort? Are you able to use these controls without stretching? The ease of
using such control is one of the major factors you should keep in mind while
choosing an office or desk chair. You should be able to move, tilt and adjust
the height without getting off your chair.

Chair
Wheels

You
are doing an office job and you have to move from one desk to another. Most of
the time you have to move to the desks adjacent to yours. Make sure your chair
is fitted with the right kind of swivel so that you can turn back and sideways
without leaving your seat or straining your neck. Your chair should be fitted
with the right kind of wheels so that if you want to move from one desk to
another you can do it by just moving your chair.

Recommendations

Recommendation
matters a lot when it comes to buying a chair that is directly related to
performance, comfort, and health. So, it is wise to seek recommendations from
experts. Your chiropractic, physiotherapist, or orthopedic can better guide you
on this. Look for their recommendation. If you have a health issue and they
suggest you a particular kind of office chair, you shouldn’t mind buying it,
even if it costs some extra bucks.

Price is the Major Factor

Price
is an important consideration while choosing the right chair for your office.
There are chairs for different ranges and budgets available in the market. You
should select one that best suits your budget. If budget is not a constraint
you should go for a best-in-class chair that meets your needs.  However, if you are hard-pressed for the budget,
you should select a chair that offers basic ergonomics.