Tag Archives: ergonomic office chairs

Are you working in the right position?

Have you ever thought about how important it is to sit in the right position?
The majority of people subconsciously sit in the most comfortable position they can. It is fine to do this occasionally, but not a good practice for many hours of work. If you don’t take regular exercise and your work is desk bound, you might end up with back problems. Office workers often complain about stiff back, sour neck and lower back pain. Some companies will offer free gym membership or yoga lessons, in house back training exercises, and even massage services. The office furniture is also important: sitting on the right type of office chair should not be overlooked. Nowadays, office chairs are specifically designed to suit specific needs and tasks. Some of the most ergonomic office chairs are fully adjustable to the human body, which include adjustable arms, knee tilt and back height. Some of the leather office chairs are incredibly comfortable for many hours of work. The foam of the seat can be molded in a very ergonomic shape that fits perfectly the curves of the human body. Some will argue that Mesh fabric also stretches to your body shape giving well-distributed support.

Once you are equipped with the right chair, you should follow basic guidelines regarding your position. One of these is to sit in an upright position with your elbows at a 90-degree angle, while typing. Additionally, your monitor should be levelled with your eyes, or slightly lower, and at a comfortable distance, neither too far, neither too close. It is also important to move your legs on a regular basis to avoid feeling numb. If you don’t want to get up, flexing your feet and tiptoeing will also be beneficial. Simple exercises like these will help avoiding thrombosis, as it will help pumping the blood up to the heart (a well-known advice on long distance flights). Standing up from time to time, stretching or taking a brisk walk will also help. Ideally you should also take a 10-minute-pause from looking at the screen – at least every two hours. Use this time wisely to do your filing, post the mail or tidy up your desk. All in one it is necessary to have the right office chair to sit on and work at, combined with a healthy living, you should enjoy many hours of work while becoming more productive.
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Office Feng Shui, is your back to the door?

There seems to be a great deal of mystery surrounding Feng Shui, when many of the basic rules are only common sense.  It is primarily based on being in control of the situation whether at home or at work.  Position your bed or chair so that you feel secure and cannot be taken by surprise by someone bursting into the room.  Avoid positioning furniture in straight lines along the walls. Be organic, nature is all curves, not angles, think home office furniture I actually confess that I have my back to the door.  But all is not lost, as Feng Shui offers a range of remedies. 
In this case I just have to hang a mirror on the wall to alert me of an intruder! I see this as a temporary solution and I am quite keen to apply most of the Feng Shui rules as soon as I buy a new office desk and matching filing cabinets.

Not sure how to pronounce it? You’re not alone.
Some may argue that Feng Shui is just non sense and ancient superstition, other will have a natural respect and mild curiosity without going to the extend of putting any Feng Shui rules into practice – the common excuse being “I don’t know enough about it”.

Ergohuman Plus Office Chair with Leg Rest
Ergohuman Plus Office Chair with Leg Rest

Good Posture

Knowing about good posture is very important but, whilst looking for this information, I came across a mention of how bad posture affects more than just your back.

If you sit poorly, it doesn’t take your muscles long to think that this position is the way it’s going to be and your muscles work alongside this bad posture, causing an imbalance in muscle support. Also, if you slouch, you are restricting digestion, circulation and breathing and your bones aren’t too happy about it either.

Once the aches and pain start in places like your neck, shoulders and back, maintaining a sitting position for any length of time becomes difficult and you may have to restrict sitting to twenty minutes or so, then move around to give your muscles and your skeletal frame a change of position, before returning to your earlier task.

If you have a job that allows regular movement e.g. a shop assistant, moving and changing position is part and parcel of the requirements of the post. If you are in a sedentary job (the list is endless!), that earlier acquired bad posture and its accompanying aches and pains is going to cause havoc e.g. discomfort, irritability, distraction and concentration problems.

The truth is that we probably don’t know what good posture entails i.e. does it mean more than sitting with a straight back?

Good posture includes having your feet firmly on the floor: dangling feet and crossed legs are definitely ‘no go’ areas. Your tailbone should be right up to the back of the chair and so should your back, unless you are slanting slightly forward, in which case the line between your head, chest and pelvis should be straight (not curved).

So, these points indicate a good sitting posture but that’s not the end of the story. The chair is only good for you if it’s ‘user-friendly’ in relation to the height of your table or desk, as your forearms need to reach the task in a horizontal position.

This is where ergonomic office chairs are worth their weight in gold. They adjust not only to support your back but also to meet your height. The arm rests can be adjusted to ensure horizontal support for your hands and, together, you are sitting comfortably and working well.

There is quite a range of adjustable chairs, as each of us is different and an ergonomic chair means that the chair fits you and not the reverse! When choosing a suitable office chair, it will pay you to call on the advice of someone knowledgeable in ergonomics, to make an assessment of both your skeletal frame and the duties of your job. This will make sure that you choose the office chair that meets your needs.

Elementary, don’t you think?

Choosing an office chair is difficult, so lets start with a good all rounder. Enjoy Office Chairs are very popular as they are comfortable and excellent value for money. The best selling Enjoy Chair is from the same range of Mesh Office Chairs as the Ergohuman Office chair.
The Ergohuman is a tried and tested office chair with extra lumbar support helps to support the back thereby influencing better posture. Take a look at the Ergonomic Office Chairs for more information on the different choices

Ergohuman Plus Office Chairs
Ergohuman Plus Office Chairs