Common Chair Related Health Issues

Boardroom seating

The more time you are spending sitting in your office chair the more it is impacting your health. It is important to look for healthy office chairs with ergonomic designs that are very worthwhile. By having the right chair, you are increasing the circulation in your legs when you are sitting and alleviating spinal pressure, making them ideal for any new office fitouts There are important considerations that need to be thought about when you are thinking about getting an ergonomic chair. People don’t think that the design of a chair helps your health, but it does greatly.

Bodyweight being distributed in a chair
Importantly, an ergonomic chair will help the sitter’s body determine how the pressure is going to be distributed throughout your body. The chair’s design makes the circulation of pressure relative to each user. One worker may be tall and chubby while another may be short and thin yet we need to have the same chair to accommodate each staff member. To properly support each different user, you need to have an adjustable ergonomic chair that can cater to the different body builds, shapes and weights.

How do healthy office chairs benefit workers?
The best thing about the ergonomic design of the chairs is that it reduces pressure, encourages good health, and is comfortable. With an adjustable design, the chair can be customized to different individuals. These chairs are perfect for boardroom seating due to the large number of different people that are required to sit in a boardroom.

Take into consideration these benefits that come from having a good chair design:

  • Increases comfort
  • Encourages people to sit with proper posture
  • Lowers neck, hip, back pain
  • Decreased workplace distractions
  • Reduces the risk of neck issues
  • Improved focus with the added support

What are the dangers of bad seating?
An ergonomic design is not only good for what it offers to users, but also for what it does to remove the negative aspects of unhealthy work chairs. Workers who are sitting in badly designed office chairs can suffer many different negative consequences from distraction to discomfort. 

Here we look at a few of the dangers that come from bad body support:

  • Muscle fatigue
  • Cramping
  • Impeded circulation
  • Stiffness
  • Numbness
  • Aches and pains
  • Lack of focus

The chair is too high

  • Prevents the correct use of the lumbar support
  • Pressure is put on the sciatic nerve
  • Pressure is added to your thighs causing swelling in the ankles legs and suffering varicose veins

The chair is too low

  • Too much pressure is put on the buttocks causing discomfort
  • Pressure is put on the internal organs
  • Neck and back strain
  • Disrupted blood circulation

Don’t just rely on the ergonomic chair

There is a specific position that your body needs to be in while you are sitting at a desk. Even if you have an ergonomic chair you still need to sit correctly for it to do any good.

Try to avoid slouching in the chair by ensuring you adjust yourself often to sit up straight. Your arms need to be positioned parallel to the floor. Both of your feet need to be flat on the floor to gain good blood circulation. The circulation is interrupted when you cross your legs so avoid doing this.

Ensure your computer screen is distanced from your face about 20 to 35 inches. If you are too close to the screen you will suffer eye strain. Ensure you are always at eye level to avoid neck strain.

By following these tips and getting a decent ergonomic chair you are improving your health greatly.