Office Chair

An office chair, or desk chair, is a type of chair that is designed for use at a desk in an office. It is usually a swivel chair, with a set of wheels for mobility and adjustable height. Modern office chairs typically use a single, distinctive load-bearing leg (often called a gas lift), which is positioned underneath the chair seat. Near the floor, this leg spreads out into several smaller feet, which are often wheeled and called casters. Office chairs were developed around the mid-19th century as more workers spent their shifts sitting at a desk, leading to the adoption of several features not found on other chairs.

Types

There are multiple kinds of office chairs designed to suit different needs. The most basic is the task chair, which typically does not offer lumbar support or a headrest. These chairs generally cannot be sat in for more than a couple of hours at a time without becoming uncomfortable, though they often offer more room to move than higher-end chairs.

The Aeron by Herman Miller.

Mid-back chairs offer fuller back support, and with the right ergonomic design, can be sat in for four hours at a time or longer. High-end chairs in this category, such as the Herman Miller Aeron and the Steelcase Leap are comfortable for long periods. Some mid-back chairs in particular offer customization options that can allow for a headrest to be added. Executive or full-back chairs offer full back and head support. Many executive chairs are designed to be sat in for eight or more hours at a time. These are typically the most expensive office chairs.

What Is a Mesh Office Chair?

Mesh office chairs, as the name suggests, are made of mesh fabric. Like their leather counterparts, mesh office chairs are made of other materials as well, such as metal or heavy-duty plastic. Only the backrest of most mesh office chairs is made of mesh fabric.

Mesh itself isn't a specific type of fabric. The term “mesh” simply refers to any fabric featuring multiple strands of connected fibers, resulting in a webbing-like appearance. The individual fibers are woven or otherwise joined to create a breathable mesh fabric. This fabric is then stretched out and secured to the backrest of an office chair.

Although there are exceptions, most mesh office chairs are made of one or more synthetic fabrics like polyethylene, nylon, or polypropylene. The individual strains of fibers are then connected to create the mesh fabric, which is used to make the backrest of mesh office chairs.

The benefits of a mesh office chair

Research shows working in a hot office lowers productivity. When you feel uncomfortably hot, your work output will decrease. While using a mesh office chair won't directly affect the temperature of your office, it can still help you beat the heat by promoting airflow. The heat produced by your body – the average person produces about 250 and 400 British Thermal Units (BTU) of heat – can escape through the chair's mesh backrest. If you choose a different type of office chair, though, your body heat will remain trapped, which may cause you to feel hot. Mesh office chairs provide a cooler and more comfortable seating solution than other types of office chairs by promoting airflow.

If you're on a tight budget, a mesh office chair might be the answer. Mesh office chairs typically cost less than leather office chairs. You can find a variety of high-quality mesh office chairs available for just $200 to $300, making them a smart choice for budget-conscious consumers and businesses.

With their mesh construction, mesh office chairs are lighter than other types of office chairs. As a result, you can easily lift and move them around your office.

It's also worth noting that mesh office chairs have a smaller and more compact design than leather office chairs. Even if your office workstation has limited space, you shouldn't have trouble adding a mesh office chair to it. They aren't as bulky as other types of office chairs. With their small and compact design, you can easily add a mesh office chair to most workstations.

Furthermore, mesh office chairs are less vulnerable to scratches than leather office chairs. The seat and armrests can still develop scratches, but the mesh backrest is nearly immune to scratches. You can use a mesh office chair for eight or more hours a day, and the backrest won't develop scratches.

Pros & Cons of Different Chair Materials

Fabric Chairs

Fabric office chairs are one of the most common choices for computer chairs. They're comfortable, easy to maintain, and come in a wide variety of colors and patterns that make it easy to match your existing decor.

One drawback to fabric chairs is that they don't allow air to flow as freely as much as a mesh chair would, making them more susceptible to holding in moisture and odors. If you do your best to avoid bringing drinks to your desk that could possibly spill, choosing a fabric chair should be no problem.

The Ergonomics of a Chair Explained

You may or may not be aware of the serious health implications of prolonged sitting, and why this is a cause for concern for all of us who spend 30+ hours sitting at our work desks every single week. Sitting down causes a number of stresses in our bodies, especially our spines, and this has recently begun to be more recognized by health professionals and is the main reason for the sudden boom of ergonomic office chairs.

What does the term ‘Ergonomic’ mean?

Ergonomics is a science, also known as human engineering or biotechnology. ; The discipline involves looking at how objects can be designed and/or arranged to best complement easy and safe human interaction. An ergonomic chair, for example, is a chair that has been designed to best support the human body, including considerations like posture, comfort, support, and health.

What makes a chair ‘Ergonomic’?

Ergonomic office chairs have a number of features designed to improve your posture and offer correct support, but they only do half the job.

Adjustable Lumbar Support Office Chair

Regulates the height of the adjustable lumbar support office chair. Easily adjusts to enhance comfort.

Benefits:

The lower (lumbar) region of the spine should generally have an inward curve (lordosis). This curve is minimized when seated, placing extra stress on the lower vertebrae.

A properly positioned lumbar support delivers external pressure to the lower back, helping the spine retain some of its natural curves when seated, and alleviating stress on the vertebrae.

How To Use:

To raise the lumbar support, lift up the two levers on the back of the chair. The lumbar support will "ratchet" through its range of motion. Adjust height as recommended.

To lower the lumbar support, raise it to the full height and the support will release and can then be lowered to the desired position.

Recommended Position:

Position the lumbar support so that the forward-most point on the support is placing gentle pressure on the lower 5 vertebrae on the spine.

Choosing the Right Ergonomic Office Chair

Working in an office typically involves spending a great deal of time sitting in an office chair - a position that adds stress to the structures in the spine. Therefore, to avoid developing or compounding back problems, it's important to have an office chair that's ergonomic that supports the lower back, and promotes good posture.

What Kind of Ergonomic Office Chair is Best?

There are many types of ergonomic chairs available for use in the office. No one type of office chair is necessarily the best, but there are some things that are very important to look for in a good ergonomic office chair. These things will allow the individual user to make the chair work well for his or her specific needs.

What Features Should a Good Ergonomic Office Chair Possess?

First considering the "conventional" style of office chair, there are a number of things an ergonomic chair should have, including:

Seat height: Office chair seat height should be easily adjustable. A pneumatic adjustment lever is the easiest way to do this. A seat height that ranges from about 16 to 21 inches off the floor should work for most people. This allows the user to have his or her feet flat on the floor, with thighs horizontal and arms even with the height of the desk.

Seat width and depth: The seat should have enough width and depth to support any user comfortably. Usually, 17-20 inches wide is the standard. The depth (from front to the back of the seat) needs to be enough so that the user can sit with his or her back against the backrest of the ergonomic office chair while leaving approximately 2 to 4 inches between the back of the knees and the seat of the chair. The forward or backward tilt of the seat should be adjustable.