Everyone knows that having a good supportive chair will help the back, posture and general health of anyone, but what makes a good chair?
Different sources will provide you with different answers, but most will highlight a number of features, paramount of which is a good high backrest.
A backrest can have a number of features. On an office, ergonomic or task chair it needs to be adjustable because the person using it will be working. This means that they will be in a partially prone position with their arms out in front of them and their head probably tilted towards a monitor or display of some kind.
When this is the case the back needs to be supported as much as possible and although the lower lumbar region is critical the higher regions of the back can also gain from some support.
These chairs will often have levers and dials that allow adjustments in anything from angle and height to the inflation of an air pocket to create a bolstering effect in the backrest’s lower sector.
With an easy chair a high backrest becomes much more important. Here the full length of the back is normally relaxed back into the padded backrest and this results in the top of the back, and even the head, being supported by the chair.
In the case of older people the high backrest not only provides comfort and good support, it will additionally make the process of sitting down and standing up easier and more relaxing. Features and examples of high backed easy chairs are different to regular chairs.
Of course the backrest is just one component of a good chair and the seat, frame and armrests contribute significantly.
Attributes like seat height change, seat angle, seat depth and a waterfall seat are important for office chairs and having a higher than average seat level will help when it comes to easy chairs for the elderly.
Monday 2 August 2010
Wednesday 10 March 2010
Ergonomic office chair - latest feedback
My multi-adjustable ergonomic office chair - latest feedback
It is now many months (August 2009) since I last gave any feedback on the ergonomic office chair that I bought and on which I am currently sitting.
The long gap, after continual daily use, probably indicates that I am more than happy with it. All the functions still work and I seem able to, 1. Get a comfy and healthy position at any time, and 2. Quickly and easily change to a different, but equally good, posture as and when I feel like it.
The chair still looks good. The stain that I mentioned did go when I gave it a brush and the whole thing feels strong and rigid and most of all very comfortable.
I conclude that, 2 days short of a year since I ordered it, I am very happy with this buy.
It is now many months (August 2009) since I last gave any feedback on the ergonomic office chair that I bought and on which I am currently sitting.
The long gap, after continual daily use, probably indicates that I am more than happy with it. All the functions still work and I seem able to, 1. Get a comfy and healthy position at any time, and 2. Quickly and easily change to a different, but equally good, posture as and when I feel like it.
The chair still looks good. The stain that I mentioned did go when I gave it a brush and the whole thing feels strong and rigid and most of all very comfortable.
I conclude that, 2 days short of a year since I ordered it, I am very happy with this buy.
Wednesday 26 August 2009
Latest feedback on my ergonomic office chair
I am now in August and the ergonomic chair is still doing well.
I find that I am sitting with the seat at a considerable forward tilt and consequently not relying upon the backrest at all. In other words I am adopting a similar back posture to that seen when using one of those odd “kneeling chair/stools”.
The stain that I mentioned is now gone (I was able to remove it) and the seat and rest of the chair show no signs of wear (as indeed they should not).
So generally I am very happy with this chair and it emphasizes the point made by so many chair experts that, other than the height adjustment, the single most important feature that you need to look for in an ergonomic chair is seat tilt.
The seat tilt function is invaluable and it actually makes backrest tilt, lumbar support, arm rests etc redundant. I should also point out that a sliding seat function is also necessary in order to make sure that the legs are adequately (but not overly) supported and that this function works in harmony with the seat tilt feature.
Overall therefore, I am very happy with the ergonomic office chair that I purchased. It has a good back and orthopedic design, it looks OK and it seems to have no problems with me (and others) using it for prolonged periods of time. I frequently adjust its features (as anyone seated for prolonged periods of time should) and it is always comfortable and supportive.
I find that I am sitting with the seat at a considerable forward tilt and consequently not relying upon the backrest at all. In other words I am adopting a similar back posture to that seen when using one of those odd “kneeling chair/stools”.
The stain that I mentioned is now gone (I was able to remove it) and the seat and rest of the chair show no signs of wear (as indeed they should not).
So generally I am very happy with this chair and it emphasizes the point made by so many chair experts that, other than the height adjustment, the single most important feature that you need to look for in an ergonomic chair is seat tilt.
The seat tilt function is invaluable and it actually makes backrest tilt, lumbar support, arm rests etc redundant. I should also point out that a sliding seat function is also necessary in order to make sure that the legs are adequately (but not overly) supported and that this function works in harmony with the seat tilt feature.
Overall therefore, I am very happy with the ergonomic office chair that I purchased. It has a good back and orthopedic design, it looks OK and it seems to have no problems with me (and others) using it for prolonged periods of time. I frequently adjust its features (as anyone seated for prolonged periods of time should) and it is always comfortable and supportive.
Thursday 21 May 2009
My ergo chair - stain
I managed to get a chocolate stain on the chair yesterday which I have not been able to fully remove. Very annoying!!!!!!
Since then I did manage to get rid of it, but it took some time and probably also some general use and wear!!!
Since then I did manage to get rid of it, but it took some time and probably also some general use and wear!!!
Tuesday 28 April 2009
Chair review after 3 or 4 weeks
A few weeks have passed by since I started using my ergonomic chair and therefore it is time for a second review of how it is performing.
My first impressions of the chair were good. It has lots of adjustable functionality and you can easily set it up for any individual and seated postion.
Those initial impressions remain.
The chair is comfortable, it is easy and fast to adjust and the seat tilt angle is invaluable. I am quickly coming to the conclusion that this is the single most important feature of the chair after the height adjustment.
I am also finding that using an increasingly “forward” tilted seat angle encourages me to sit up straight, support my own back (rather than with the back rest) and feel comfortable whilst maintaining a good posture.
The armrests too are something that I use more than I might have imagined and I find that having them set slightly below the level of my desk offer the bests support and comfort.
If I have any minor criticisms they relate to the lack of backwards recline of the backrest, i.e. it is impossible to recline back and create an obtuse angle between the legs and body. The other minor flaw (at least for me) is that I would prefer a little more padding on the seat. It make me wonder what mesh seats feel like after 8 or 9 hours sat in them.
Even so, my overall view of this chair is still quite high. I find it easy to get comfortable on it and it is wide enough to allow plenty of movement, even sideways lazy slouching if required.
My first impressions of the chair were good. It has lots of adjustable functionality and you can easily set it up for any individual and seated postion.
Those initial impressions remain.
The chair is comfortable, it is easy and fast to adjust and the seat tilt angle is invaluable. I am quickly coming to the conclusion that this is the single most important feature of the chair after the height adjustment.
I am also finding that using an increasingly “forward” tilted seat angle encourages me to sit up straight, support my own back (rather than with the back rest) and feel comfortable whilst maintaining a good posture.
The armrests too are something that I use more than I might have imagined and I find that having them set slightly below the level of my desk offer the bests support and comfort.
If I have any minor criticisms they relate to the lack of backwards recline of the backrest, i.e. it is impossible to recline back and create an obtuse angle between the legs and body. The other minor flaw (at least for me) is that I would prefer a little more padding on the seat. It make me wonder what mesh seats feel like after 8 or 9 hours sat in them.
Even so, my overall view of this chair is still quite high. I find it easy to get comfortable on it and it is wide enough to allow plenty of movement, even sideways lazy slouching if required.
Monday 6 April 2009
Ergonomic chair – latest thoughts (2)
I have now been using my new ergonomic chair for almost two weeks and so far it has more than lived up to my expectations.
After struggling to remain in any comfortable position for more than a few minutes on my previous chair, I find that this chair is quite the reverse. The adjustments are quick and easy and the lumbar support, which results from a combination of an inflatable backrest balloon zone and an up-down action sliding backrest, are extremely good.
The seat tilt is also critical and I am amazed at how having the seat base tilted forwards and downwards does provide an ideal working position.
The other big surprise is how beneficial the arm rests are and the extent to which I am using them. I am also surprised to realise that the inward tilt action (which I thought rather a novelty) is very useful as it allows the armrests to offer good forearm support when typing.
All told I am struggling to find a negative feature of the chair at present and I am quickly concluding that it is one of the best £230 that I have spent in a long time.
The other great thing about this kind of chair is the speed and ease with which you can make immediate changes to position in lots of subtle, but important, ways. Even as I write this post, I quickly change the forward tilt to an even greater downward angle and it causes a change in the relaxation of all the back and torso muscles in a positive way. In half a second I can reverse the position, or make a near limitless number of combination changes that see my posture taking new positions all the time. Something that my chiropractor recommends as being important to anyone who remains seated for long periods of time.
I will add another review in a couple more weeks with, I hope, an equally favourable reaction.
After struggling to remain in any comfortable position for more than a few minutes on my previous chair, I find that this chair is quite the reverse. The adjustments are quick and easy and the lumbar support, which results from a combination of an inflatable backrest balloon zone and an up-down action sliding backrest, are extremely good.
The seat tilt is also critical and I am amazed at how having the seat base tilted forwards and downwards does provide an ideal working position.
The other big surprise is how beneficial the arm rests are and the extent to which I am using them. I am also surprised to realise that the inward tilt action (which I thought rather a novelty) is very useful as it allows the armrests to offer good forearm support when typing.
All told I am struggling to find a negative feature of the chair at present and I am quickly concluding that it is one of the best £230 that I have spent in a long time.
The other great thing about this kind of chair is the speed and ease with which you can make immediate changes to position in lots of subtle, but important, ways. Even as I write this post, I quickly change the forward tilt to an even greater downward angle and it causes a change in the relaxation of all the back and torso muscles in a positive way. In half a second I can reverse the position, or make a near limitless number of combination changes that see my posture taking new positions all the time. Something that my chiropractor recommends as being important to anyone who remains seated for long periods of time.
I will add another review in a couple more weeks with, I hope, an equally favourable reaction.
Friday 27 March 2009
Ergonomic chair – first impressions
My ergonomic chair arrived on Tuesday and so I have now had a couple of days to try it out and evaluate it.
Having spent a not inconsiderable amount of time deciding on this particular chair, it holds no surprises and the functionality and lever adjustments are as expected.
What did catch me out slightly was the size of the chair. Just like 40 inch plus TV’s in an electrical store, it looked no bigger or smaller than anything else. However, once in my small office room it takes on much greater proportions and is considerably larger than the chair that it replaces. This is no bad thing as I can slouch, lounge or sit to one side of this chair with plenty of room and comfort.
If there is a disappointment, it is in the fact that the recline-action of the backrest is not so much a “real” recline, as it is an angle adjustment for the backrest. i.e. You cannot recline the chair’s backrest beyond 10 or 15 degrees past the vertical. This makes leaving the backrest in “open- lock, in order to stretch backwards, impossible.
This is however a minor moan and the chairs overall flexibility allows it to be adjusted to a massive degree and into a near limitless number of positions. The seat slide and seat tilt actions are probably the most valuable adjustments and, being tall, this allows me to gain full thigh support on the seat.
The tilt action in particular has surprised me as, to my amazement, both my wife and myself find an angle close to the maximum forward tilt the most comfortable. This is of course what experts in ergonomics recommend, however it is quite strange to see just how prone the seat angle actually is.
Other initial observations are that the seat height adjustment and the inflatable lumbar balloon are more effective than I had expected. This chair really is capable of a very high level of adjustment and it is (as my chiropractor recommends) very easy to make quick position and set-up changes during the course of the day.
To conclude this initial “first impressions” review, I would also point out that having an adjustable tension control (under the chair) is very important. Initially (on the factory-set loose setting), the chair was very loose when tilting or reclining, but once I increased the tension it took on a new and better feel.
First impressions are very positive.
Having spent a not inconsiderable amount of time deciding on this particular chair, it holds no surprises and the functionality and lever adjustments are as expected.
What did catch me out slightly was the size of the chair. Just like 40 inch plus TV’s in an electrical store, it looked no bigger or smaller than anything else. However, once in my small office room it takes on much greater proportions and is considerably larger than the chair that it replaces. This is no bad thing as I can slouch, lounge or sit to one side of this chair with plenty of room and comfort.
If there is a disappointment, it is in the fact that the recline-action of the backrest is not so much a “real” recline, as it is an angle adjustment for the backrest. i.e. You cannot recline the chair’s backrest beyond 10 or 15 degrees past the vertical. This makes leaving the backrest in “open- lock, in order to stretch backwards, impossible.
This is however a minor moan and the chairs overall flexibility allows it to be adjusted to a massive degree and into a near limitless number of positions. The seat slide and seat tilt actions are probably the most valuable adjustments and, being tall, this allows me to gain full thigh support on the seat.
The tilt action in particular has surprised me as, to my amazement, both my wife and myself find an angle close to the maximum forward tilt the most comfortable. This is of course what experts in ergonomics recommend, however it is quite strange to see just how prone the seat angle actually is.
Other initial observations are that the seat height adjustment and the inflatable lumbar balloon are more effective than I had expected. This chair really is capable of a very high level of adjustment and it is (as my chiropractor recommends) very easy to make quick position and set-up changes during the course of the day.
To conclude this initial “first impressions” review, I would also point out that having an adjustable tension control (under the chair) is very important. Initially (on the factory-set loose setting), the chair was very loose when tilting or reclining, but once I increased the tension it took on a new and better feel.
First impressions are very positive.
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