Ergonomic Office Chair Buying Guide

Whether you’re sitting in the office or working from home, comfort is the key to any productive workday. But all too often, the desire to find that perfect seating position leads to slouching, muscle fatigue, and eventual back pain. With the increasing amount of time we’re all spending at our desks, it’s important to find a chair that will support you throughout the day.

In This Guide, We’ll Cover:

• Our top 5 tips for buying an ergonomic office chair
• What is an ergonomic chair?
• Why are ergonomic office chairs important?
• What to consider when choosing an ergonomic office chair
• Types of ergonomic chairs
• Our expert’s opinion
• Where to buy office chairs

Sleek and modern, but entirely customisable, ergonomic office chairs provide the cushioning necessary to keep you comfortable for hours at a time, while simultaneously relieving pressure on your body.

Their range of adjustable features makes them suitable for use with a variety of office desks, and their many health benefits keep you feeling relaxed until the end of the working day.

In order to help you gain a better understanding of what ergonomic chairs are so that you can find the best chair for your home or office, we’ve made this thorough ergonomic office chair buying guide to explain all the details you need to know.

Our Top Five Tips for Buying an Ergonomic Office Chair

There’s plenty of information on what to look for in an ergonomic office chair right here in our complete buying guide, but for those who want some quick help for their purchase, here are our top 5 essential tips for buying an ergonomic office chair. With this knowledge in hand, you’ll easily find the best ergonomic chair for your needs.

• Think about how long you’ll be sitting in your chair
• Look for features you’ll definitely use such as lumbar support
• Consider how much space your office has
• Set yourself a budget
• Check reviews to make sure you’re buying a reliable model

What is an Ergonomic Chair?

Despite the similarities ergonomic office chairs share in design and style with standard office chairs, there’s a vast difference in the science and methodology behind their construction.

Standard office chairs can certainly provide a degree of supportive comfort. But when it comes to aiding strong posture, they just can’t compete with ergonomic designs.

On a concept level, ergonomics focuses on the science of human engineering, also called biotechnology. Every ergonomic chair model is designed to complement safe human interaction with the chair when seated. This means every ergonomic office chair promotes a natural sitting position and provides dedicated comfort with full-body support.

In short, an ergonomic office chair is an office chair specifically designed to prevent long-term health problems by promoting a healthy sitting posture.

Why are Ergonomic Office Chairs Important?

Being seated for hours on end with poor posture might not seem like a huge problem for your health if you’re comfortable, but eventually, you’ll start to notice little aches and pains that weren’t there before.

Besides general discomfort, continually weak posture can lead to a range of crippling short and long-term health problems. These can range anywhere from a painful pinched nerve or repetitive strain injury (RSI), all the way to chronic lower back pain and cervical spine problems that require surgery to fix.

To prevent this, the best ergonomic office chairs actively promote a better posture by encouraging a natural seating position, keeping you upright, your eyes level with the top of your screen, and your feet flat on the floor. The most common ergonomic features and their benefits are as follows:

• Backrests – Good office chair back support comes in the form of a well-designed backrest. Ergonomic backrests in particular are designed to align your neck and spine straight while taking the weight off your lower back. This alone makes an ergonomic office chair the best office chair for back pain.
• Lumbar support – Lumbar support usually comes built-in or attached to a chair’s backrest. Its shape helps to fill the gap between your lower spine and the chair to prevent slouching and weakened back muscles. Inbuilt lumbar support is beneficial, but the best ergonomic chair with lumbar support will allow you to adjust the cushion to perfectly fit your back’s arch.
• Adjustable height – A key component of any chair, having adjustable height options allows you to sit correctly at any desk. In doing so, you’ll improve the circulation in your legs.
• Adjustable width and depth – Everyone is a different size and shape, so having the option to adjust your seat’s width and depth means you can have proper back support while distributing your weight evenly across the seat. Adjustable width and depth are a must in order for the backrest and lumbar support to work correctly.
• Tilt range – A varied range of tilt options means you can find the right level of the chair lean for comfort. An appropriate tilt reduces lower back pressure, encourages proper posture, and alleviates poor blood flow in your legs.
• Recline options – While tilt is how far your entire chair leans back, recline relates only to the backrest. Having even a small degree of recline in your chair will automatically reduce the temptation to slouch forward.
• Smooth swivel movement – Having a smooth swivel motion for your chair is also a must. It allows you to turn your entire body when reaching for things, meaning you don’t twist your spine and reduce overall pressure on your body.
• Armrests – Another basic chair feature, but one that shouldn’t be overlooked, adjustable armrests are great for reducing the static load on your neck, back, shoulders, and arm muscles by supporting your arms rather than letting them hang.
• Headrest – Good recline options are a must to prevent slouching, but to really offset its effects, the addition of a headrest is a necessity. A suitably positioned headrest will prevent a hunched posture and scrunched shoulders, alleviating pressure on your back.
• Wheels – A simple addition to chairs that now come on most standard office chair designs, wheels don’t provide the same pressure or support as other ergonomic features, but they do provide your chair with the mobility to position yourself comfortably at your desk.
• Materials – Standard chair fabric can be comfortable, as can leather, but most ergonomic office chairs use a blend of padded meshes. An ergonomic mesh chair not only provides comfort and breathability, its spring and bounce properties mean it retains its shape even after hours of use.

With all these qualities in mind, the best ergonomic office chair for you will be a design that has the features you need while cleanly matching your office aesthetic.

What to Consider when Choosing an Ergonomic Office Chair

An ergonomic office chair’s features are obviously very important, yet the chair itself is not the only factor you’ll need to consider before making your purchase.

Knowledge of how long you work and the size of your office are crucial to finding the best ergonomic chair for you. You should also consider budget and ease of setup to ensure the design you buy won’t give you any issues.

How Long will you be Sitting in your Chair?

Everyone works in different ways. Someone writing reports is going to be seated a lot longer than an individual who only answers a few emails a day. Ergonomic office chairs shine in the department of extended seating time.

If you’re in a role that has you sitting in front of a desk for the whole day, then an ergonomic office chair with lumbar support should be your priority.

How Spacious is your Office Area?

Office space is a very important consideration. You can get ergonomic office chairs in a huge selection of sizes, but different types of ergonomic office chairs suit different spaces.

If you have a large office space, then a standard ergonomic model chair will be more than appropriate. If, on the other hand, your office is quite small, then purchasing one of the many ergonomic kneeling chairs might be better to save on space.

You can also find ergonomic stools to help accommodate good posture if you regularly work at tall desks.

It’s very important to have a full understanding of your workspace to avoid buying the wrong chair for your needs. Usually, your best option will be a chair that is practical for your space while offering the features you want.

Do you Require Special Support?

All ergonomic chairs provide an excellent degree of support, but you don’t want to purchase a chair that might be unsuitable for your needs.

If you’re a large or tall individual, then a specialised bariatric ergonomic office chair will give you the room and height to sit comfortably. Alternatively, if you suffer from knee or leg problems, you should avoid ergonomic kneeling chairs as they will likely enhance the problem.

By considering any additional support features, you’ll be able to get the most out of whichever chair you choose to buy.

What is your Budget?

Whether you’re buying new office cupboards or upgrading your home office desk, you should always set yourself a budget. Having a budget will ensure that you only buy the type of chair you need and don’t splash out on additional features.

Quality is a necessity when buying an ergonomic office chair. You want to make sure that it lasts and won’t break under a slight strain. For this reason, the price of your ergonomic chair will ultimately come down to a combination of style, size, features, and material.

Here at Office Furniture Online, we have a wide selection of ergonomic office chairs. You can pick one up on a budget for £90, or pick up a top-of-the-range model for over £1,000.

Depending on your budget, you’ll get different features based on how much you spend. The following is a guide to what you might get at different price ranges.

Low-priced	Mid-priced	High-end
£90	£400	£800+
Features: ·         Basic ergonomic support ·         Comfortable fabric	Features: ·         Adjustable ergonomic height, backrest, headrest, and armrests ·         Breathable and comfortable mesh fabric ·         Fully adjustable range of motion	Features: ·         All ergonomic chair features ·         Specialist additions for bad backs and 24-hour support ·         Leather or an alternative material cover of your choosing

Types of Ergonomic Chairs

Like standard office chairs, there is a big range of design options for ergonomic chairs. Fortunately, most typical ergonomic office chair models provide the same supportive functions, so your preference will likely come down to what ergonomic features you want.

But if you’re after an ergonomic chair that offers very specific support or promotes a more modern style of working, then one of the more unusual types below may be exactly what you’re looking for.

Just be aware that even ergonomic chairs come with benefits and drawbacks, all of which you should consider when making an informed decision.

Office Chairs for Bad Backs

Although a normal ergonomic chair provides good back support, if you find yourself suffering from chronic back pain on a daily basis, then an office chair that caters specifically for bad backs is a must.

Bad back office chairs give great lumbar and backrest support that makes them perfect for working long hours. They’re without a doubt the best office chair for back pain.

Due to their specificity, however, an office chair for back pain could very well cost more than a regular ergonomic chair, especially if you want a durable model.

Ergonomic Leather Chair

Just because you’re buying an ergonomic chair doesn’t mean you can’t splash out on something more exclusive. An ergonomic leather chair can give you that executive feel while providing padding and comfort that rivals a standard office chair.

It doesn’t matter if you work hybrid or all day in the office, a leather chair suits both environments for long periods of work. Leather is particularly durable and very easy to clean, so you know you’ll get a long-lasting chair.

An ergonomic leather chair is expensive, however. You’ll need to accommodate this in your budget if you intend to purchase one. They’re also not as adjustable as other types of ergonomic office chairs, with the exception of the top-end models.

Ergonomic Mesh Chair

Last but not least, if you want breathability and flexibility in adjustment, then an ergonomic mesh chair is the ideal option.

Mesh is a particularly mouldable material, allowing it to be used as a supporting backrest and comfortable seat padding. It also ventilates the space around a user, helping to keep you cool.

The only drawbacks you’ll need to account for with a mesh chair are style and setup. Mesh chairs are typically modern in their design making them stand out in a more traditional office. On top of this, a lot of mesh chairs require a more complex setup in order to get their ergonomic features functioning correctly.

Our Expert’s Opinion

Here at Office Furniture Online, we work with real experts to make sure we’re offering you the best products on the market. Here’s what office chair expert [Jane Doe] had to say about buying the right ergonomic office chair:

“With so many of us now sitting at our desks all day, purchasing a high-quality ergonomic office chair is a necessity. By sitting ergonomically, you’ll get far more work done while also taking care of your body.”

Where to buy ergonomic chairs

All good office furniture retailers provide a vast range of ergonomic office chairs, both online and in-store. But at Office Furniture Online, we specialise in providing the best office furniture at competitive prices.

From mesh and leather options to the best ergonomic office chairs for back pain, we’ll help you find the right chair to suit your needs, getting you fantastic deals on ergonomic office chairs with free next-day delivery.

At Office Furniture Online, we give you access to over 10,000 furniture items at excellent discount prices, offering the best ergonomic office chairs for your budget.

We’re your one-stop-shop for all your office furniture needs, whether you’re after bookcases, an under-desk pedestal, or a modern sit-stand desk, you can speak to our staff for expert advice on your office furniture needs.

To find out more about specialized chair options like bariatric designs, you can read all our office chair buying guides right here. Discover even more help on how to improve your home office and work environment by checking out our blog.