Anatomy Guide to an Office Chair
An office chair is used every workday by most office workers. They sit between 30 to 40 hours a week on it. That is why if you have an office job you should get to know what your chair has to offer, or what to look for in your next office chair. In this blog we are going to go over the anatomy of an office chair to help you better understand the complexity of an office chair and how one can adjust to perfectly fit you! There are many moving parts… or should we say, there are many moving parts in a great office chair.
We are going to guide you through the anatomy of an office chair from the ground up!
Wheels
This is a simple feature to overlook!
- Carpet or floor type casters
- Casters can not only glide better on the surface they were made for but protect the surface they are used on. This is specifically true for carpet casters.
- Automatic lock, manual lock or no lock at all
- You have the option to decide if you want your chairs' wheels to look or not. If you do want your chair to lock into place you have a little bit more to consider. Do you want your chair to lock when you aren’t using it so it doesn’t roll away? Or do you want the chair to lock when you are sitting on it? Do you want to have to manually bend down and lock the casters individually or do you want more of an automatic lock? Yes there is an option available for all of these questions whether you answered YES or NO. *more info contact us with your questions*
Pneumatic lift
As we know not one size fits all! This is no different for pneumatic lifts on chairs. There are various lengths of pneumatic lifts. It is important to check the height range of the chair to make sure they fit your requirements. All of the chairs on our site have the option to change the length of the lifts.
Seat pan
Seat pans are another feature of an office chair that are easily customizable. Make sure to look at the dimensions to make sure that they are right for you. The size of your seat pan is important. If you are sharing your chair with another co-worker, you may want to look into office chairs that have the option to move forward and backward to accommodate different leg lengths.
Backrest (lumbar support)
How important is lumbar support? The answer is very important! Great lumbar support in an office chair can greatly improve your comfort level at work. As mentioned prior, office workers spend a lot of time sitting at their desk. This has been time and time again proven to increase back discomfort. Utilizing your back support will help you immensely. The best office chairs will have the ability to adjust your backrest height and lumbar support.
Armrests
There are many scenarios where you can benefit from having armrests. But there are also sometimes where armrests are not the best option for you, especially if you don’t want to change everything about your work set up. The first question to answer is will you benefit from armrests or not check out this blog for more info. If you answered yes, you have options!
Here are some of your options when it comes to armrests:
- Drop down - You can choose when you want to use your armrests. When you do not wish to use them simply push a button and they swing down.
- Up/Down - This is the most common armrest feature after the fixed one. This allows you to change the armrests height.
- Lateral movement of the armrest - This option allows you to bring the armrest support closer to your body. Very helpful for smaller individuals.
Headrests used to be an indicator that you were an executive at work. More and more people are finding the perks of having a headrest and chairs with headrests are less and less called executive chairs.
You can have a chair that has a fixed headrest, or one that is height adjustable as well as adjustable forward and backwards.
Pro tip: if you like having your hair up in a bun or ponytail a headrest may not be the best option for you.
Tilt Mechanisms
Tilt mechanisms refer to the ability to tilt your seat pan and backrest. A multi-tilt mechanism is when you can independently adjust the tilt of the seat pan and backrest. This allows you to lock in various different positions. There is also the synchro tilt mechanism, this one is a fixed tilt ratio between the seat pan and backrest. Another possibility is to have none, this will not allow you to change the chair to tilt forward or backwards. It stays in the same position.
Warranty
The warranty for your chair parts will show you how much the manufacturer trusts the longevity of their product.
The more your chair can adjust, the easier it will be to make the chair fit you. If you get a generic non- adjustable office chair, you will most likely need extra products to make it work for you. Some products include footrest, seat pan cushion, and portable backrest. An office chair is there to support you throughout your workday, not cause you discomfort.
Enjoy, getting to know your office chair and if you have any questions please feel free to contact us at info@myergomania.com