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.

Ergonomic chair delivery

The ergonomic chair should be delivered some time during this coming week, at which point I will add some photos illustrating the features and control levers present on the chair.

As I previously mentioned, I hope to get round to adding a short youtube video of what the chair does a some point, but that will have to wait until time allows.

Needless to say, I have already forgotten what color I ordered the chair in, so that will be my first surprise.

I have big expectation of this replacement chair, so I hope that it will not disappoint.

Setting the chair up

I spoke with my chiropractor this week regarding the optimum set up for this kind of chair. His general view was that the key to keeping the back healthy was to vary the set up as frequently as possible, i.e. several times per day.

With plenty of different adjustments this should not prove too difficult and this was of course why I wanted a chair with tension control and the option to leave the seat tilt and backrest recline action on “open” (un-locked) settings.

This should enable me to stretch, lean back, or tilt forward at any time without the need for “actual” chair adjustment and with the settings retained for when I resume a normal posture.

My ergonomic office chair

The ergonomic chair that I selected took quite some finding – several weeks of online retailer and store hunting to be precise.

You can get a number of good looking “ergonomic” chairs with exoskeletal like frames, headrests and numerous other aesthetic features for up to £300 Stirling (UK). They look great, have masses of style and could be placed on display in galleries, but that was not my objective.

These “designer” chairs are a complete waste of money and tend to have very few adjustments with style conquering functionality in all but a few cases.

What I was after

Probably the best top line ergo office chair is the Herman Miller Aeron in its various incarnations. This chair starts at over £700 and goes well beyond £1,000 in its “fully loaded” state. Furthermore, I can confirm that it is supremely comfortable – if you have that kind of money!

I however do not (or at least I cannot justify it on a home office chair) and that left me with the challenge of finding all of the Aeron features on a much less expensive alternative. This I managed to do.

The chair that I have ordered is sold through numerous outlets with and with different brand names and it is used in many offices throughout the UK. It looks like most office chairs, has no mesh seat, no “on display” movement mechanisms, but it does do the job – I think!

Its big selling point is its flexibility in terms of adjustability. The chair has a wealth of important features that allow most aspects of the seat and backrest to be adjusted. These include seat height, tilt and depth, plus backrest angle, height and lumbar customisation. The armrests can also be moved up and down and swivelled in and out and the seat and backrest tilts can be locked or left open for free movement.

This is a seriously high spec chair, but at (for once) a non-rip-off price.

The cost of the chair is around £230 Stirling (UK) and it is available in different colours and with a fancy stainless steel base and castors at an extra £15. I have opted for the black base, but in a colourful material (to counteract my bland personality).

Once I get the chair, try it out for a few days, and form an opinion I will add some further comments.

I will no doubt add some photos and I may demonstrate the functionality of the ergonomic chair’s features on a ytube video if I find the time and have the inclination.