Ergonomic chairs to protect the back
Many times we write about what happens to us in everyday life with the intention of learning. This time, we have a partner who suffers lumbar problems and we have decided to buy one ergonomic chair for office, of those that provide virtues and benefits to have a cofort ten how much you feel.
And here has come the mess, because when you ask about ergonomic chairs to protect your back, an avalanche of information comes to you like crazy with hundreds of options (operational, collective, rotating, direction, desktop, etc.) to buy a comfortable seat.
After asking in various stores, from Ophysillas they have given us the keys to why we should buy back good office chairs. They tell us …
“Normally, between 60 and 70% of office furniture is ergonomically inappropriate. You have to consider What does the posture adopted by a person in their workplace depend on? »
- From the manual and visual requirements of the task.
- Of the anatomical and anthropometric characteristics of the subject
- Finally, of the physical design of the work, that is, to a large extent, of the chair features.
What lumbar problems come from chairs?
We spent 8-10 hours in front of the computer. If we multiply by our entire working life, they are many hours sitting. But… What risks will we have in the office? They originate mainly from two causes:
- The first is by taking bad postures.
- In second place, for always maintaining the same posture.
In both cases, there is a direct relationship between postural problems and their causes due to; the furniture, the organization of the environment and work. And if it is not clear, then we have the perfect scheme:
back problems originate from an inappropriate or poorly adjusted chair
Given the possible injuries, now it's time to see … What characteristics should an ergonomic chair have?
Tips for buying a chair that protects your back
It is necessary to prevent, it is the main advice on health, that is to say, sit well. And as a reminder, back problems do not come when you are young, they come with advanced ages and here the remedy no longer works. So take note of the following tips for buying office chair healthy.
1.- Always opt for an ergonomic seat design
When you wonder … How should the design of an office chair be? The quick answer is "comfortable." But ergonomics and comfort, in reality, are two different concepts, although linked.
When we talk about a «comfortable chair»It will not reduce our pain, in fact, so that we do NOT change our position for many hours. And there, according to experts, is where the greatest musculoskeletal ailments occur.
How do I know if a chair is comfortable for me?… If the angles of your hips, knees and ankles are not comfortably 90º, then the chair is too high or too low. All of your joints should remain at 90 degrees.
The study of theergonomics in a chair allows the worker to suffer the fewest sequelae possible by sitting down and doing your job.
Quality chairs are supported by certified ergonomics studies to prevent occupational diseases (In Spain, a well-known certifying entity is the Institute of Biomechanics of Valencia).
2.- You must look at how long you will be sitting
At first glance this may seem silly, and in fact, in many cases we do not know. But what we can recognize is that manufacturers approve the chairs for the hours that we are going to be seated.
Many computer chairs or gaming chairs They are only approved for daily use of 4 hours, instead of the 8 that are normally assigned to offices - agencies.
A ergonomic chair serves to prevent occupational diseases, but also, we should exercise our muscles throughout the day.
It is recommended that at least every 2 hours we get up and do stretches (back, neck, legs and arms) to avoid overloading the muscles and numbness of the legs due to a lack of blood circulation.
3.- A good backrest in the chair is health
Back support is the main goal of many ergonomic chairs, but What makes a chair good in terms of back support?
Ideally, the work seat should do a couple of things to prevent neck problems:
- Provide back support with an incline of 90 degrees or up to 90 degrees.
- Include cushioning that pushes your back forward when sitting in the chair.
As we see in the image, with these adjustable mechanisms we obtain ergonomic chairs to prevent cervical problems.
The lumbar support it is essential to prevent slouching and minimize the load on the back. With this in mind, furthermore,the backrest of an ideal ergonomic office chair is between 30 cm and 50 cm wide.
If the backrest is tilted back, the head will tend to go forward, which will be equal to neck pain in the long run
From a technical point of view, the maximum pressure on the back is the most related to the appearance of discomfort problems, since maximum pressures higher than 40 KPa give rise to discomfort in most of the users. For example, we leave an analysis of an approved endorsement:
As we can see in the table, it is observed that the seat provides a support surface for the user with maximum pressures that do not exceed the limit of 40 kPa. Thus it is considered that theoffice chairs for people with back problems.
Is the lumbar cushion good for something in a chair? It serves for prevent herniated discs and let the vertebral discs rest.
However, according to the experts, each case is different: there are people who have hyperordosis and will need it, but other users, for example, who have a spinal correction, will not need it.
If you are not sure you need it, it is better not to use it and consult the relevant doctor. He is the one who can best advise you!
4.- Adjustable arms do matter
We know, a chair without arms is cheaper and in reality, we practically do not use them. But Are armrests necessary on office chairs?
The role of armrest is for limbs to rest and we can change posture throughout the day or support ourselves to get up.
Minimum we should have the height regulation, although at the moment the chairs commercialize adjustable arms according to the different movements. For example:
We can find them in different materials, although the most common are polypropylene or higher-end aluminum.
5.- Look for a seat that has horizontal movement and is curved
The horizontal movement of the seat serves to adapt the base both to the backrest and to the position of the knees. The cascading finished seats (curve down at the knees) prevent the seat from trapping you behind the knees.
The tray where we sit should be smooth and contoured so that it does not cause compression on the buttocks and thighs.
For those of higher range, other comfort systems are provided that will benefit the health in the chair. For example, we can see the following diagram where seats with an air chamber already enter, which have flexible sheets or even oscillating seats:
If you have a large body mass or a few extra pounds in weight, you have to ask what type of chair is the right one. There are limits on weight and the manufacturers clearly designate it on the labeling.
6.- It must have height adjustment
Practically all the seats, armchairs and individual armchairs that we find in the market and are intended for work, have a height adjustment to make them coincide with the furniture of the office or the respective workplace.
This aspect is mandatory, so the cheap chairs without height adjustment are not good for health. They do not allow us to adopt the correct position! … What height of worktop is recommended for my workstation?
The perfect chair height is when the eyes, in a straight line, see the center of the computer screen.
The seat height adjustment is done through a gas pump. The measurements, although they depend on the manufacturer, normally the regulation starts at 42 cm and ends at 53 cm.
Remember that if you are very tall, ask to see the available options and what would be the best seat that is adopted at your height.
7.- Don't ignore the upholstery
In all cases, in the choice of upholstery, it has its advantages and disadvantages. The The upholstery of an office chair must be breathable, hypoallergenic, non-slip, lightweight and designed to withstand use, both for the backrest and the seat.
When we are going to choose a chair they will tell us what type of upholstery do we want; from natural leather, leatherette - synthetic leather, polypropylene, fabric with different technical finishes or the backs on chairs with mesh.
Choosing the ideal materials and fabrics is not usually a problem a priori (We usually end up choosing according to decoration and price) and highlighting that the technological fabrics provided by manufacturers today have excellent qualities at consistent prices.
If you ask us What is the best upholstery?… Directly from natural skin. It has comfort, resistance and favors perspiration. Against, the high price.
8.- Be careful with the feet of the chair.
The base must have stability and be resistant. Be careful with the chairs that have 4 feet (they are the very cheap ones). A office chair that maintains stability will need 5 feet of support. Sign it up!
As for the finish, we can choose from a considerable variety, both in materials and colors. For example, types of finishes in chairs most common are:
The chair must have a stable constitution, we all tend to lean more to one side than the other, and seats that lean to one side or the other according to our weight, this could cause back pain by generating a curvature of the spine ( Scoliotic positions).
9.- That it has wheels
It is also one of the basic aspects and that practically all manufacturers provide it. Although the market does offer us some different types of wheels according to the needs of the chair or to avoid the involuntary movement of the chair.
For example, types of chair wheels most common are:
We have reviewed all characteristics that a chair must have for us to be well in our workplace. Remember that health is ours and preventing possible injuries is not an option, it is an obligation if we want to have a decent future.
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