Understanding the
Ergonomics of a Chair:
Picking The Right Ergonomic Seating For You
Working in an office typically involves spending a great deal of extended sitting in an office chair.
Sitting for long periods of time creates a variety of strains in our bodies, particularly in our spines, which has only recently been recognised by medical professionals.
This is the primary reason for the sudden surge in ergonomic furniture, such as standing desks and ergonomic office chairs.
You already know we're a big fan of standing while working, but sometimes, we just need to rest our feet and joints.
Therefore, to avoid developing or compounding back problems, it's important to have a good ergonomic chair that supports the lower back and promotes good posture.
Keep on reading to find out how to get a good ergonomic chair for your needs!
What are ergonomic chairs?
The ergonomic office chair is the most common item of ergonomic furniture in most offices.
These chairs contain features that distinguish them from ordinary office chairs, such as adjustable lumbar support, adjustable armrests, an adjustable headrest and adjustable seat depth.
Ergonomic chairs are made to allow you to sit comfortably for extended periods of time while working. They are more customisable than traditional office chairs, allowing you to tailor the fit to your body and seating preferences.
However, these standard ergonomic chairs still promote extended hours of motionless sitting. To counter this problem, try “active sitting” instead!
What is active sitting?
Active sitting allows the body to keep moving while seated, instead of staying completely sedentary. The goal is to engage your core muscles while taking some pressure off your joints.
So, instead of motionless sitting all day because of your work, active sitting lets you make minor movements to keep some of your muscle groups active.
The build of these chairs doesn't really look like the type of ergonomic office chair we're used to.
For example, our proprietary ergonomic chair, the Omnidesk Core, is a leaning stool without an adjustable armrest.
They're a perfect companion to standing desks while relieving tension from the feet. At the same time, it features a smooth 360-degree rotating, tilting, pivoting centre that increases manoeuvrability.
Health Benefits of Active Seating
Over time, the use of an active ergonomic office chair can lead to:
Improved posture:
Many active chairs are built specifically to support the natural curve of your lumbar spine and promote proper posture without physical lumbar support.
Increased core strength:
Active sitting reduces the reliance on just a few muscles and tendons and instead balances the effort out over many core muscle groups.
Better blood circulation:
Active sitting encourages various muscles to constantly adjust and engage, pumping oxygen-rich blood through muscle tissue all over your body.
Features of Active Ergonomic Office Chairs to Look Out For
Adjustable Seat Height
Because no two people are the same size or height, the ability to alter the height of your ergonomic chair is essential.
A chair that is overly high can exert pressure on the area behind the knee and obstruct circulation. If it's too low, the knees will be higher than the hips, shifting the body's weight rearward and putting strain on the sitting bones.
Ideally, active ergonomic chairs should encourage a wider angle between your legs and torso. This prevents bad posture as your spine aligns naturally to follow your pelvis.
The new position requires your legs to do more work, minimising strain on your lumbar region and intervertebral discs, reducing back and neck aches.
Seat Shape
There are a variety of different seating options that fall under the category of "active sitting chairs". However, we do prefer height-adjustable saddle chairs and wobble stools, as they are more versatile.
Saddle Ergonomic Chair
As implied in the name, you sit on this type of office chair as if you were riding a horse.
Generally, the seat height is 20-30 cm higher than in a standard office chair. This allows your body to naturally form an open 135-degree angle between your hips and knees.
As a result, the natural curve of your spine is maintained, helping to reduce tension and pain in the neck, shoulders, and lumbar region.
Saddle stools promote core muscle development by requiring your body to use its back and abdominal muscles to support itself while also requiring you to use your legs to maintain balance.
Wobble Stool
When compared to other types of seats, a wobble stool provides a significantly larger range of motion while sitting.It has a pivoting base that follows your movements and allows you to rock in any direction.
It makes your body work to stay upright, activating a variety of muscles to keep the stool steady or stay balanced while moving. You can even perch in a position where you're practically standing.
This helps you maintain a healthy natural posture while also keeping you active.
To keep your feet from sliding about on the office floor while you lean, we recommend utilising an anti-fatigue mat in conjunction with your leaning stool.
Swivel
The swivel in an ergonomic chair aids manoeuvrability, allowing users to reach different parts of their workspaces without exerting undue effort.
The greatest ergonomic office chairs will feature five wheels for easy manoeuvrability while remaining stable.
These prevent the chair from tipping and keep your feet safely on the ground as you modify your posture. They're usually constructed of high-grade plastic or polished aluminium.
In the case of our wobble stool, it features a stabilised weighted base that is non-slip to prevent accidents.
Get Your Ideal Ergonomic Office Chair with Omnidesk!
Intrigued by active sitting and its compatible ergonomic chairs?
Omnidesk has the best ergonomic products to support your work lifestyle while maintaining your postural health.
So if you've been looking to revitalise your workspace, check out our Omnidesk ecosystem!
All our products and accessories have been carefully designed and curated to produce an efficient and productive ergonomic space.
