My last Blog explained the 2 types or ergonomic chairs: The Upright Chair and the Reclined Chair. The Upright chair has a strong lumbar support and would maintain a very upright sitting posture where the hip and angle doesn’t change. These chairs are good for people with upper back and neck problems where it is important for there ears to be in total alignment with their shoulders. An example of an Upright Ergonomic Chair would be the following:
In contrast, the Reclined Chair is designed to “open up” the hips. To do this the person leans back in sitting and the back itself will move depending on force. A spring (with tension adjustment) will bring the user back into an upright position at will. This type of chair is good for somebody who has low back pain and requires frequent postural changes in sitting. An example of a Reclined Ergonomic Chair would be the following:
Once you have decided which of these two chairs would best suit your needs, is that all there is to it? Unfortunately, there are many more factors to consider. One of the most important would be supportive armrests. Current research show that off loading your arms on armrests reduce muscle activation in the upper extremity (e.g., trapezium) significantly. Although most chairs have armrests, in my experience, most are too wide or do not pivot. Armrests which are too wide will cause the user to “wing out” their arms creating poor posture and strain on the shoulder area. A good ergonomic chair will have armrests which are adjustable in width thus allowing the user to off load with elbows naturally to their side. Furthermore, armrests which can pivot will allow arm support in a direction which points to the keyboard / mouse. Here is an example of a width adjustable armrest feature.
Here is the same chair showing the pivoting armrest feature
Unfortunately, these high end ergonomic chairs with proper armrests come at a cost. If you are having pain while working in a seated posture, it could be due to a poor chair design. And if you are considering whether or nor to pay extra for an ergonomic chair, consider the cost of a potential repetitive soft tissue injury caused by not having proper ergonomic supports. Remember: Nobody should work in Pain!