Type in ergonomic office chair on Amazon.
Ouch!
Prices bite…especially when you compare them to standard office chairs.
So what is it about this word “ergonomic”?
Why does it increase the prices by 50-70% when compared to standard furniture?
And, after all, is it worth buying an ergonomic back chair? And what is the best affordable computer chair?
Why Buy An Ergonomic Chair?
To begin with, let’s answer this question – is it necessary to purchase ergonomic furniture?
The answer is – no. And it’s a big NO.
The reason is just that – our bodies are not meant for any type of ergonomics (aka comfort design), since we evolved as pretty indestructible animals. All that hunting, gathering, walking, running and climbing…honestly, we were born, as Nassim Taleb calls it, antifragile.
Hence natural ergonomics doesn’t even exist. After all cave furniture was never designed with functionality in mind. =)
Now, why should people buy ergonomic chairs and use them?
As we spend numerous hours without any movement in front of screens, desks and TVs, we naturally start losing that antifragility we once had. As a result certain parts of our bodies end up being dysfunctional (neck, hips, wrists…). This perspective makes ergonomic chairs seem like an escape, which will help our half-dysfunctional bodies to not completely break down.
Say, the best office chair for neck pain would support your neck to avoid the progression of arthritis, help keep your elbows in place, so that your pec minor muscles will shorten less quickly (it will help you battle a typical rounded shoulders look for longer)…so, yes, this is why people purchase ergonomic furniture (chairs included) – to ease off the pain and slow down structural degeneration (because that’s what it is).
Why Ergonomic Chairs ARE Important
I hope you didn’t take any offence in the previous paragraph – I am just stating the facts. Besides you can ALWAYS turn around structural imbalances and pain syndromes. Besides that, I am totally FOR ergonomic chairs and here are 4 reasons why chairs with ergonomic design are good for you.
- It fits you. Or at least it should fit you much better than simple no-frills chairs. This is especially important for people with certain concerns (e.g. back pain), occupations (e.g. online marketer working at the desk all day) and requirements (e.g. someone veeery tall). The whole fitting process is made possible with adjustable armrests and headrest, lower back support (we need that lordotic curve boss!), special tilt feature, which helps to further adjust your ergonomic chair’s forward and backward angles. Getting the size wrong is one of the more common chair buying mistakes.
- Material. Best ergonomic chairs would often be made with some form of mesh fabric. It helps ventilation and you don’t sweat like a monster in typical executive chairs. It helps to keep your chair clean and safe. Take the mesh!
- Productivity. Psychological factor is super important. Ever noticed that working while sitting on a “stupid chair” is very annoying?! Perhaps you change your position all the time trying to somehow sit in a nice position, but…you know. Now imagine a perfect office chair, which, once you sit in it, feels SO different. Obviously you feel much better physically and emotionally – your work output will increase and its quality will skyrocket. Promise!
- Prevent injury. How to injure your back on purpose while maintaining 0 km/h speed? The answer is – start slouching! That’s what best ergonomic chairs prevent you from doing. Just one tiny adjustment will help you maintain your body injury-free. Consider buying ergonomic chair as a long-term health investment. It will pay off in future (physiotherapists will not be fixing your ‘low-back pain’).
Now that you know that you don’t really need an ergonomic chair, but are also aware of why ergonomic chairs are important, you got to decide whether you need one at this stage. I hope this My Ergonomic Chair website will help you to make the right decision.
To your healthy back!