Imagine this scene around the proverbial office water cooler…
“My back is killing me…”
“I hate this chair!”
“I have tried so many chairs and they are all equally bad.”
“My chiropractor says I should change my office chair… or my office!”
“How do I choose a good office chair?”
“This company doesn’t care if I end up with a life-long back problem…”
We have all heard these comments, more than once. Sometimes, it seems that the only topic of conversation is the pain and discomfort office chairs cause, to the detriment of our general health, back muscles and vertebral column. It is a fact that we spend at least half, if not more, of every day in office. Given that, if our offices are equipped with equipment and facilities that are not kind to our bodies, then we will suffer from serious health issues.
One of the more important pieces of office furnture is the chairs we all park ourselves in, for the better part of everyday. It is imperative that this particular item is chosen with care, ensuring that it is made to an ergonomic design that is good looking, strong, sturdy and reliable. These chairs are specially designed to help in reducing pressure on the nerves in the spinal cord, thus limiting damage to the muscles and nerves. Last but not least, ergonomically designed chairs are vital in helping to maintain correct body posture.
So, how do you go about choosing the right chair for your office? Quite easy, actually. Just check out our list of the 15 best, ergonomically designed chairs that will help to make your office more comfortable, and easier, to work in.
The Herman Miller Embody Chair
This chair is at the top of our list. Designed by Bill Stumpf, it keeps you relaxed and focused on your work by stimulating oxygen and blood flow around your body. Its human, spine-like design, attached at the back, is called the exoskeleton – it moves and adjusts to the way you sit, helping you to maintain the correct body posture. Plus 12 years of Herman Miller warranty
Steelcase Gesture Chair
The Steelcase Gesture chair has won multiple design awards from leading medical institutions. Designed to accommodate all types of body shapes and sizes, this chair adapts itself easily to the various positions of your body because its unique LiveBack technology copies the movements of your neck and spine thus adjusting to the postures of your body.
The Steelcase Gesture chair gives you the freedom to move your body and align it any way you like. Arm rests swivel up to an angle of 360 degrees, allowing you to align your arms any way you like. 100% Steelcase warranty.
Herman Miller Aeron Chair
Designed by Bill Stumpf, this chair is considered to be the first ergonomic chair to have a woven seat and back that replaced foam cushions. Based on biomorphic principles of the body, the chair really helps to prevent and reduce lower back pain. Its head cushion and a high back allows you to rest your head while maintaining the correct body posture at the same time. A 12 year warranty and very affordable price makes it a sure winner.
Haworth Zody Chair
Certified and recommended by the American Physiotherapy centre, this well-known, ergonomically designed Haworth Zody chair believes in offering function over form. The chair’s design features a one-of-a-kind, asymmetrical support system that reduces the pressure on your lower back and neck. The attached pelvic pad helps to align your spinal cord correctly, preventing problems such as slipped discs and other spinal ailments.
Steelcase Leap Fabric Chair
This chair ranks fifth in our list, mainly because it offers a very high quality product at a very reasonable price. The LiveBack technology that it uses, its most important feature, ensures that the chair will conform to the many positions that your body takes. Thus, it reduces pressure on the many vulnerable points in your body such as the spinal cord, the neck and the head. The chair’s gliding technique adjusts to your body reclining, remaining upright or relaxing.
Herman Miller Sayl Chair
This brand’s first ergonomic office chair, the Herman Miller Sayl Chair is very affordable.
One of the best engineered products, the Herman Miller Sayl Chair offers two innovative features: the Y-tower and the ArcSpan. The Y-tower: the so-called backbone of the chair, whose main function is to extend the fabric and offer support at the same time.
The ArcSpan: This is designed to maintain the posture of the body while keeping the fabric in place. The unframed back helps oxygen to pass through, making the chair breathe and keeping you cool at work. Plus 12 years warranty.
Serta Back Mid-Back Office Chair
The Serta brand is best known for its mattresses but it has manufactured an ergonomic office chair that stands out from the crowd. Constructed out of eco-friendly leathers and armed with a BIM active lumbar pivot for improved lumbar support, this chair employs tilt technology for posture correction resulting in your pelvis tilting forward, when you do. This also keeps your back in a neutral position, preventing pressure from building up at vulnerable points of your body, preventing the flow of fluids from the spinal discs and helping with smoother spinal movement.
Alera Elusion Swivel Chair
This ergonomic office chair has been given positive reviews by us specifically because of the comfort it provides at such an affordable price.
- Maximum comfort at an unbeatable price
- Breathable mesh design fabric helps you to keep your cool
- Highly adjustable arm rests
GM Seating’s Ergohuman Leather Chair
This White Ergonomic Leather Chair, designed by Ergotech, offers a very unique style. Made from pure, high quality leather, it offers luxury blended with ergonomics. The adjustments this chair provides include tilt, seat, height and headrest adjustment. This chair is specially suitable for people suffering from neck pain, while also providing valuable lumbar support.
Mid-Back Mesh Chair from Flash Furniture
Made from a highly contoured mesh, this chair has all the ergonomically adjusted features your body requires while helping you to stay cool. The chair’s five sturdy wheels ensure smooth gliding and efficient movement.
Ergohuman by Eurotech
This office chair, designed by Eurotech, offers eight different ergonomic adjustments that help to keep your spine and the neck in perfect alignment. The different adjustments that it offers are:
- Back angle adjustability
- Adjustable height
- Synchro tilt adjustment
- Tilt lock technology
- Tilt tension control
- Adjustable arm height
- Adjustable seat depth and height
- Adjustable headrest that can be moved up and down to allow better neck alignment
- The unique curvature of the headrest helps in the adjustment of the head and the neck
Balt Butterfly Executive Chair
The chair has a mesh back that helps the air to pass through more effectively, ensuring that you remain cool while at work. The perfectly contoured back helps to maintain the correct body posture and provide a natural lumbar support. The shaped head support keeps the head perfectly aligned to the rest of the body.
Leaders Executive Office Chair
Designed by Duorest, this chair is thought to be one of the most interesting available.
Its unique design allows effective neck and back support while incorporating two back rests that are fully adjustable. Seat height, tilt tension and tilt lock can all be adjusted and its six leg wheels make for enhanced durability. Moderately and affordably priced.
Viva Office Mesh Chair
This chair offers a unique blend of price, fashion and function. The mesh design at the back helps in keeping you cool and comfortable all hours of the working day. The pneumatic height adjustments and adjustable armrests are useful features that allow a person to be comfortable regardless of his or her height. The chair offers tilt tension control, three vertical positions and lumbar support.
The Walker Adjustable Office Chair
This chair features a 360 degree swivel motion and an adjustable five wheel base. Equipped with a unique curve that supports the neck and prevents neck pain. A padded head rest, arm rest and lumbar support are all adjustable.