5 Things to Consider When Purchasing a New Office Chair

If you work in an office you probably spend the greater part of your day sitting in your chair.  Depending on the length of the work, your “seat” time can easily exceed 6-8 hours in that chair.  Is it comfortable?  If not, you may want to consider getting a different chair.  The most common question I get regarding chairs is, “What features should I look for in a new chair?”

Here are 5 features to look for with a brief explanation:

• Adjustable lumbar height and/or amount of lumbar support
  • Lumbar support should fall in the “small” of your back (where it curves inward).  Unless the lumbar support happens to fit you perfectly, finding a chair that either allows you to adjust the seat back height so the support actually hits you where you need it and/or one that allows you to adjust the amount of lumbar support (similar to that of a driver’s car seat) is important for all day comfort.
• Adjustable seat pan depth
  • Do you find yourself sitting forward on your chair or feel pressure underneath your thighs?  If so, it may be because the seat pan is either too deep or too short, respectively.  Having an adjustable seat “slide” is a must to fit your hip to knee length of your legs properly.
• Adjustable seat back tilt
  • Do you like to sit straight up or reclined?  Or, do you want to vary your position during the day?  Having the ability to adjust the tilt of the seat back will allow you to make those adjustments.
• Type of seat cushion/foam
  • When you’re sitting for any length of time the cushion and shape of the seat becomes increasingly important.  The seat cushion will hold up best in chairs that are warranted for at least 10 years.  Some chair manufacturers even offer memory foam cushions.
• Adjustable seat pitch
  • This allows you to adjust the seat pan to pitch forward or backward.  This mechanism can also allow the chair to rock back and forth.

There are others factors that could be considered, such as casters, the environment it’s used in, amount of usage/day (i.e. 8 hours/day or 24/7), fabric (can effect hardness or softness of cushion), armrests and a few others.  If you have other questions on chairs or would like guidance in selection please contact us.