If you work at home, or even in the office, it is inevitable that you will be spending a lot of time on an office seat. It is exhausting to work, but sitting in a chair that’s uncomfortable and of low-quality will affect both your productivity and your health. When we get too busy, we often ignore the comfort of our chairs. Unaware of the consequences, if we are seated in a poor quality chair it can affect not only our performance but our health as well, and eventually lead to poor sitting postures that may cause back problems. To ensure maximum comfort and avoid stress or injuries, it’s important to invest in an ergonomic office chair cushion.

Since we are all different, the perfect chair may not be for you. There are some factors that can be used to determine the most comfortable ergonomic chair. For maximum comfort, the chair needs to be adjustable according to your build, movement, and preferences.

Ergonomic Office Furniture: What You Should Look for

1. Adjustable Seat Height

In addition to the differences in body size, I also mentioned that some people are taller and larger than others. Often, our tables are also different in sizes. So, it is essential to own an adjustable office chair. It is not a good idea to work for hours on end with your feet hanging from a tall chair. It could lead to you being hunched up to the table and this is certainly not good for back or spine health! With this in mind, look for adjustable seats that are able to go from 16 to 21 inch above the ground. Most users should find this to be sufficient. The chair should have a pneumatic height adjustment lever to make the process easier. The pneumatic adjustment lever allows you to easily change the seat’s height, without needing to constantly disassemble it.

2. Lumbar Support

You should always make sure that your chair has lumbar support. The lumbar support can reduce, or prevent you from experiencing back pains, and especially lower back discomfort, due to prolonged sitting, sitting in an uncomfortable chair, that does not provide proper back support, even for a few hours. The lumbar curve should match the shape of the back. When you sit in a chair which has proper lumbar supports, the chair will fit your back like a glove. It will make you feel forced or in an awkward posture if you are not sitting on a chair with a proper lumbar support. Slouching can cause chronic back pain and spinal damage. In addition to the lumbar cushion, ergonomic chairs could also feature a lumbar adjuster. We don’t all have the exact same height so the adjustable chair allows for any person to be seated on the chair with the correct fit and back support.

3. Height of chair backrest

You will find it difficult to lean your back against a chair that is too deep. It is not possible to force yourself to lean backwards on the chair. However, if you sit too far back from your desk and are unable to do so comfortably, this will result in you being stuck with an awkward posture. The backrest could be used to no avail. If you have a chair with a shallow depth, then the backrest may lean to the front, forcing you forward.

A great ergonomic chair’s backrest should measure 12-19 inches in width and leave approximately 2-4 inches between the knees back and the chair seat. It is important that the seat tilt can be adjusted to move forwards and backwards according to your personal preference. It is best to restrict the tilting forward of your seat so you do not feel like its pushing you. You can also adjust the tilt when leaning forward or resting back. Your back would be supported properly by the backrest.

4. Seat Width

You need a chair that is the right width and depth so you can sit comfortably. The chair shouldn’t make you feel too crowded or too big. You will not be able to use the armrests if they are too far apart. It will be uncomfortable for you as well. Seats are usually 17-20 inches wide.

5. ArmRests

As you can see from the width of your seat, too wide armrests are not comfortable. For ergonomic chairs, adjustable armrests are ideal. The arms can rest comfortably on the armrests and shoulders are relaxed. So you won’t have to force yourself into placing your arms onto the armrests. The armrests should not be too far apart. If they are, it will be very uncomfortable to sit in the chair. The elbows should be lightly rested on the chair’s armrest, and your forearm shouldn’t rest on it while you are typing at the keyboard or using your computer.

6. Seat Material

It is important that the seat and back cushion of your chair are sufficiently padded to make you feel comfortable for extended periods. It is uncomfortable to be seated on an almost-no padding chair, especially for prolonged periods. The choice between fabric or leather depends entirely on personal preference. For breathability, if I were to ask you what would be best for me, I might recommend a mesh-back. It can either be padded mesh material or leather.