Office Chairs

Choosing an ergonomic office chair can be difficult due to the complexities associated with the functions and features available.

Sitting in the correct posture while you are working is paramount and will help in the short-term and more importantly in the long-term. Once you have accepted that posture is important for a healthy back, the right chair should go further than simple ergonomic by training your body to sit correctly. Some ergonomic chairs provide ergonomic features but if you keep sitting with the wrong posture you will have the same problems prior to using an ergonomic chair.

There are 2 examples of bad practices that instantly come to mind: having a pad between you and your keyboard will force you to lean forward and you will lose the back support of the chair. Some people will even sit with one leg folded on the seat pan. Nowadays ergonomic engineering and technology is pushing new boundaries and some of the most recommended ergonomic chairs will promote a good posture simply by not letting you sit incorrectly. How do they do that? Basically, you will feel very comfortable and supported if you are sitting correctly. However if you are sitting in the position which gives you no back support, for instance on the edge of the seat, within seconds you will feel like correcting your posture because of the lack of comfort.

Enjoy Elite Mesh Office Chair
Enjoy Elite Mesh Office Chair

Once you get used to the chair, you will soon feel the benefits. After a few weeks you may also feel that the chair helps to strengthen your body. This would come from the back-rest of the chair pushing gently against your back giving you support. As a natural response your body will push back against the back-rest of the chair using your back muscles – in essence working out the muscles in your back and strengthening them.

If you suffer from back pain a good ergonomic chair combined with regular gentle/slow stretching exercises to loosen your back will go a long way.

If you had back pain treatment from a physiotherapist you would have been given treatment for the problem and probably a sheet of recommended exercises to strengthen your back. For some people, when the weather gets cold and damp, aches and pains start to appear like clockwork – as if they were by direct debit. If such is the case, you should make sure you do the stretching exercises especially during that time of the year.

Ergohuman Plus Luxury Office Chair with Leg Rest
Ergohuman Plus Luxury Office Chair with Leg Rest

Then it’s back to being conscious of your posture again, key to this is the ergonomic chair. So which is the best chair for you? What else do you need to complete you ergonomic office configuration to create the perfect ergonomic working environment whether at work or at home?

Once you have the right ergonomic office chair, and the right ergonomic desk, the items you use on your desk need to come to you rather than you reaching out repeatedly all day long. Try and pause for a moment and plan how to rearrange your desk so that what you use the most is easily reachable. Do you have to reach out in an odd position to grab a pen? Do you have to twist yourself downwards to target the bin? Is your phone close enough and on the right side of the desk? Is your monitor at the right height or do you find yourself looking down and tensing your neck muscles over time? All these are considerations that will need to be addressed to create the perfect ergonomic set-up. There are also a range of ergonomic accessories which will perform these necessary adjustments to get everything just right!

Some Ergonomic Chairs for consideration

BMA Axia Plus

Ergohuman

Okamura Ergonomic Chairs

Ergonomic Office Chairs UK

Ergonomic Office Chairs
Mirus Ergonomic Office Chairs
Mirus Ergonomic Office Chairs

Nefil Office Chair

With organic curves and some of the most elegant features in office seating, the Nefil office chair is the epitome of luxury. Customise to suit any environment: bright, contemporary mesh colours, executive classic leather, soft fabrics or a combination for a modern, comfortable and unique design.

Nefil Office Chair
Nefil Office Chair

The Nefil office chair adds a touch of class to any workspace.

Using the ingeniously simple single lever control to operate the three main chair functions – seat height, seat depth and back tilt are all operated from a single point of contact. The Nefil office chair is packed full of features including Smart Motion back technology, backrest rake adjustment, lumbar support height adjustment, seat tilt, seat depth and bodyweight tension adjustments, optional headrest and pivoting armrests with height and slide adjustment. The materials used to manufacture the Nefil chair are environmentally friendly and offer the flexibility and strength to provide outstanding comfort along with refreshing good looks

Nefil Office Chair Leather Seat Detail
Nefil Office Chair Leather Seat Detail

Offered in mesh, fabric or classic leather with a contemporary aluminium frame and base, the eco-friendly Nefil chair is 97% recyclable, has Greenguard Air Quality Certification and meets EN 1335.

Nefil Office Chair with Leg Rest
Nefil Office Chair with Leg Rest

The Nefil chair’s streamlined curves deliver impact, whether upholstered with mesh, leather or a combination of the two. The frame is a perfect balance of polished aluminium and black. An extensive selection of soft and durable mesh, colourful fabrics and leather allows a variety of colour combinations. This stylish chair offers ergonomic comfort, second to none – the perfect example of form and function in complete harmony.

Enjoy Office Chairs

Enjoy Ergonomic High Back Mesh Office Chair is designed and made with the total comfort of human-kind in mind. The Enjoy office chair fuses art and science, with flex zones that ensure constant support of back and lumbar, multi-dimensional adjustable arm rests for unparalleled support and a height-adjustable pivoting headrest for full crane support.

The Enjoy chair was designed specifically for those who are in an office chair for more than eight hours a day, and require “Intensive Use Seating” to keep them comfortable for long periods of time. Esthetics, form and function allow this ergonomic chair to utilize a synchro tilt mechanism with infinite lock, sliding seat, pneumatic height adjustment and headrest all in one very unique ergonomic chair

Enjoy Specification:

Seat Height Control
Seat Depth Adjustment (Seat Slide)
Backrest Tilt Tension Control
Backrest Tilt Angle Adjustment
Backrest Height Adjustment
Armrest Height Adjustment
Armrest Angle Adjustment
Headrest Height & Angle Adjustment
Available in Black Mesh (leather combinations also available) – other colours available to order/please contact us for details
Outstanding 5 Year Manufacturers Guarantee
Delivery 2-3 working days

Enjoy Mesh Office Chair with Head Rest,  Orange Mesh
 
Enjoy Mesh Office Chair with Head Rest, Orange Mesh

Enjoy office chair conforms to BS 1335-2:2000 Specification for performance requirements and tests for office chairs. Office pedestal seating for use by persons weighing up to 110kg and for use up to 8 hours a day, including type-approval tests for individual components

BS 1335-2 specifies performance requirements and test methods for the structural safety and stability of office pedestal seating when used by persons weighing up to 110 kg, or when used for up to 8 hours a day, including chairs for use with tables and desks higher than those specified in BS EN 527-1.

It also specifies requirements and test methods for type-approval of bases, columns, seat actions, back stems and locking devices.

BS 1335-2 seeks to ensure that the seating will not become a danger or cause injury to users when it is used as office seating in a manner which is foreseeable.

Enjoy Office Chair
Enjoy Office Chair
Enjoy Elite Blue Mesh Office Chair
Enjoy Elite Blue Mesh Office Chair

Ergonomic Office Chairs

Enjoy Office Chair

The Enjoy office chair is certified to BS EN 1335-2:2000. According to this standard, the chair is considered to be structurally suitable and sufficiently stable for use as an office task chair for up to 8 hours a day by persons weighing up to 110kg or 17 stones.

Guarantee – 5 Year Manufacturers Guarantee on chair structure, with 3 years guarantee on moving parts and upholstery.

Enjoy Mesh Office Chairs
 
Enjoy Mesh Office Chairs

Ergohuman Office Chair

The Ergohuman chair is certified to BS EN 5459-2:2000 and is therefore structurally suitable and sufficiently stable for use as an office task chair for up to 24 hours a day by persons weighing up to 150kg or 23.5 stones.

Guarantee – 10 Year Manufacturers Guarantee on chair structure, with 3 years guarantee on moving parts and upholstery.

Ergohuman Office Chairs
 
Ergohuman Office Chairs

Ergohuman Plus

The Ergohuman Plus is in the inital stages of testing for certification to BS EN 5459-2:2000. We expect certification to be complete in early 2010.

Guarantee – 10 Year Manufacturers Guarantee on chair structure, with 3 years guarantee on moving parts and upholstery.

Ergohuman Plus Ergonomic Office Chairs
 
Ergohuman Plus Ergonomic Office Chairs

Mirus Office Chair

The The Mirus Office Chair is the latest addition to the Ergohuman range, the Mirus chair boasts the ingeniously simple single lever control which operates the three most frequently used chair functions – seat height, seat depth and back tilt can all be operated from a single point of contact.

Guarantee – 5 Year Manufacturers Guarantee on chair structure, with 3 years guarantee on moving parts and upholstery.

Mirus Mesh Office Chair
 
Mirus Mesh Office Chair

Nefil Office Chair

The Nefil Office Chair is the top of the range from the acclaimed Ergohuman family of office chairs. The Nefil chairs are available in mesh, leather, fabric, microfibre or combinations of mesh and leather with or without headrests

Guarantee – 5 Year Manufacturers Guarantee on chair structure, with 3 years guarantee on moving parts and upholstery.

Nefil Office Chair
 
Nefil Office Chair

Genidia Office Chair

The An Ergonomic Office Chair, embracing the most innovative technology and materials, our state-of-the-art Design, Research and Development centre have pushed the boundaries in task seating to unprecedented levels. The concept is a highly designed chair with revolutionary technology unique to the task seating industry.

Guarantee – 5 Year Manufacturers Guarantee on chair structure, with 3 years guarantee on moving parts and upholstery.

Genidia Office Chair
 
Genidia Office Chair

Buy your Office Chair from Ergohuman.net

Ergohuman

It can get very difficult to differentiate between some ergonomic office chairs, particularly when the names are very similar but, suffice to say, the Ergohuman Plus is the top of the range in the Ergohuman range of office chairs, with plenty to offer the health-conscious office worker. The Ergohuman Plus is the top of the range mesh office chair.

This model is ninety eight percent recyclable and has more aluminium detailing than its close relatives, so it’s a smart looking chair with a strong frame. Its long list of adjustment possibilities mean the Ergohuman Plus can be altered to suit everyone.

Ergohuman Elite Mesh Office Chair
Ergohuman Elite Mesh Office Chair

One lever controls the three main adjustment areas of seat height, seat depth and back tilt, all of which get the chair to fit the smallest or tallest person. The height adjustment can cater for five foot to six foot four inches and the seat depth is particularly important, as correct adjustment keeps your back in contact with the back rest, while reducing any pressure that could fall on the knees, if the seat pad didn’t match you leg length. Like in a car, the back tilt gets the body in a good position for the arms to reach their place of work comfortably.

Arm rests are really important, as they support your arms and therefore also reduce any pull on your shoulders, guiding your hands to the desk or computer keyboard. The arm rests on the Ergohuman Plus offer multidimensional adjustments, meaning up, down, backwards, forwards and also in and out. Making sure that your elbows are placed comfortably near your body rather than splayed at a wide angle makes a huge difference to overall support.

Ergohuman Plus Luxury Mesh Office Chairs
Ergohuman Plus Luxury Mesh Office Chairs

The Ergohuman Plus has a seat tilt option which helps take pressure off the spine but only when adjusted correctly for its user. It really does pay to get all adjustments set to meet your needs, or the ‘ergonomic’ quality of the chair will be there in name only.

Lumbar support is essential and this ergonomic office chair boasts autoflex zones for added comfort and that important support. Adjusting the seat back will get this important feature to work for you and make long days seems less stressful.

With a matching headrest, this office must-have oozes comfort and, in a choice of either mesh or leather upholstery, you really do feel loved.

Ergohuman Plus Luxury Leather Office Chair
Ergohuman Plus Luxury Leather Office Chair
Ergohuman Elite Mesh Office Chair with Leg Rest
Ergohuman Elite Mesh Office Chair with Leg Rest
Mirus Ergonomic Office Chairs
Mirus Ergonomic Office Chairs

The Ergonomic Office

Ergonomics is about getting the situation to fit you, rather than you to fit the situation. So, for example, when looking at an ergonomic chair, getting the chair to fit you would mean addressing points such as your height, your size and your job duties.

Your height is an important point to address, as a perfect sitting position will mean that your feet are flat on the floor, while your thighs are more or less parallel to the floor. It is easy to see that if your chair is too low for you, your knees will be coming up to meet you and there will be less support to your lumbar region, as your thighs are not making perfect contact with the office chair. If the chair is too high for you, your feet may not fully touch the floor, making steadiness an issue. A ergonomic height-adjustable chair will help solve these needs.

If you are small in stature, or somewhat overweight, the armrests of the chair may not serve their purpose of supporting your lower arms, again to keep them parallel to the floor and resting on the desk comfortably.

Once the ergonomic office chair is adjusted to your needs, you can identify whether the desk height meets your specifications. It’s all right getting the seat absolutely perfect but is the table or desk too high or too low for your wrists to rest comfortably near the keyboard or the paperwork?

Ergonomic Office Chairs
Ergonomic Office Chairs
Electric Height Adjustable Desks
Electric Height Adjustable Desks

This is where electric height adjustable desks show their worth. As the name suggests, a electric height-adjustable desk will allow you to get the correct height for your perfect workstation.

The theory of ergonomics also addresses a cognitive aspect. For example, why did you place your phone to the left of your monitor and why so far back on the desk? If it’s an office tool that you use quite often, is it in a comfortable and accessible position? Why isn’t the monitor directly in front of you? Regular use of the computer will mean that your body rests in a twisted position (neck and hips) for long periods of time. The placing a heavy dictionary at the back of the desk, instead of closer at hand, will cause pressure to your hand, wrist, arm and shoulder, every time you reach for it.

Contour Design Rollermouse RED
Contour Design Rollermouse RED

Ergonomics is a serious business which, once you’ve got it right, encourages your body to respect good posture. An ergonomic desk and adjustable ergonomic chair might cost a little more than run-of-the-mill office furniture but for all the right reasons. Surveys have shown that working in an ergonomic environment increases productivity by as much as 20%, the enhanced posture having the knock-on effect of increasing work satisfaction. With less posture-related illnesses and the resulting time off work, creating an ergonomic office ticks all the right boxes.

Computer Desks

The Okamura Range – Getting the Right Chair for the Situation.

In an office environment, who should pay for the ergonomic office chair – the employer or the employee? This is a difficult question to answer and one which, if not addressed, could lead to greater questions being asked later.

A young worker fresh out of school will have an equally fresh body and the aches and pains that an older member of staff may suffer may not be issues. A more mature and well-experienced worker may have developed ageing disabilities, such as arthritis and rheumatism (though these problems do sometimes develop in very young people) and sitting for long periods of time could cause stiffness in joints, muscles and tendons, exacerbating an existing problem or bringing on new discomfort and pain.

Okamura Contessa Ergonomic Office Chair
Okamura Contessa Ergonomic Office Chair

Sickness causes absence and work may become delayed. Also, staff may become stressed through doubling up on work volume and expensive temporary staff may not be able to make the grade with expectations, all contributing to a drop in business standards and resulting in disheartened customers.

Ignoring people’s needs is a risky business and can end up costing a lot more than the price of a good ergonomic chair. Of course, if you know little about ergonomic office furniture, you could overspend and maybe even buy a chair that is not suitable for the staff member’s needs or the job responsibilities.

Okamura Luce Ergonomic Office Chair
Okamura Luce Ergonomic Office Chair

Websites bring the world of ergonomics into your own office, where you can look at designs, study the specifications, get to know the customisation and styling options and also consider the optional extras. Designs will be different, so getting the right ergonomic office chair is no different to getting the right pair of shoes. You’re looking for comfort and support and, just as high heels are not the best for hill-walking, some chairs will not be right for some people or for particular tasks.

Like good cars, the company name of good chairs goes before them and Okamura is the Rolls Royce of chairs, offering lots of changes on the same theme. While one might need the adjustments that come with the Contessa chair or the CP chair, the different specifications offered by the Luce chair or the sit stand workstation might have added extras that address the job requirements.

Lumbar support really is a must, so this should be top of your list when choosing your chair, as correct back support will prevent or alleviate pain and lessen any back-related absences from work. A wise employer will purchase sensible chairs and gain the respect of his or her workforce because of such a caring attitude. Payback and savings will be evident in the success of that business.

Cruise Computer Workstation
 
Cruise Computer Workstation from Simply Ergonomic

Ergohuman Chairs

What is the difference between the Ergohuman office chair and the Ergohuman Plus? Well, a good starting point will be to first look at what they have in common, then the unique little differences will be more appreciated:-

  • Synchro-Tilt. Both the seat back and the seat pad can be tilted, to afford maximum comfort to its user. Once the back is at your desired position, it is also tension-adjustable.
  • Tilt-Lock. By using the appropriate mechanism, you can unlock the back rest to recline and you can lock it for a fixed position.
  • Tension Control. This allows you to rock a little in your chair and the tension can be adjusted to match a body weight of up to 250 pounds (17 stones 12 lbs.).
  • Seat Depth Adjustment. Getting this position right means that your back is still in contact with the seat back and your thighs are fully supported, allowing your knees to fold comfortably without any seat abrasion.
  • Seat Height Adjustment. It’s important that your feet rest flat on the floor, so getting the seat pad height right for you will allow your feet to do just that.
  • Arm Rests. They adjust up and down, forward and backwards and also left and right, meaning that they can be made very comfortable for you and help keep your lower arms horizontal, as they move towards the keyboard or office desk
Ergohuman Plus Luxury Mesh Office Chairs
Ergohuman Plus Luxury Mesh Office Chairs

These two ergonomic office chairs then have subtle differences and, as we are all different, the element of choice is available to us:-

  • The Ergohuman has straight aluminium legs, whereas the Ergohuman Plus has a curved design.
  • The arm rests are black, whereas those on the Ergohuman Plus sport an aluminium linkage under them. On the Plus, they are also further away from the chair.
  • The latest model has a black cover over its under seat mechanisms but the Plus reveals its aluminium linkage.
  • The head rest linkage is black on the and aluminium on the Plus.
  • The aluminium frame on the chair back is narrower on the Ergohiman Plus design.

Though most of these differences may seem cosmetic, they add to the overall beauty of the chair, which encourages us to make choices. On top of these considerations, you need to decide between mesh and leather. Which one is right for you?

Ergohuman Elite Mesh Office Chair with Leg Rest
Ergohuman Elite Mesh Office Chair with Leg Rest
Ergohuman Plus Luxury Leather Office Chair Colours
Ergohuman Plus Luxury Leather Office Chair Colours

Find out more at Ergohuman.net

Is your Office Inviting

Imagine you’re sitting in a perfect office: somewhere where you have to go but you’re also pleased to be.  Everyone’s idea will be slightly different, though all will contain the essentials.

A perfect office will be light and inviting.  If there’s a window close to you, the natural light will make the office feel fresh and alive.  If this isn’t happening for you, then you need to invite light into the room.  A standard lamp may add a touch of homeliness and you can also use angle poise lamps, to direct the light to your office desk, making reading easy, particularly on those long winter days when everything seems to be overcast.  Don’t forget that view from the window which I find is very important as I tend to look out into the distance when I’m thinking.  Looking and focusing on things in the distance and adjusting your vision helps your eyes overcome issues related to computer work.  How many hours are you stuck looking at the screen and nothing else?  I try and get my eyes to focus on distant objects every 10 minutes or less.  Maybe it’s beautiful, maybe it’s not, so why not hang a scenic picture on the wall in front of you, or frame a smaller version for your desk:  it might not be a desk toy but it will still make you feel good.

Height Adjustable Standing Desk
Height Adjustable Standing Desk

If your office is small, make it feel bigger.  This can be done by using glass office furniture, as the light passing through that beautiful crystal gives an illusion of space.  However, if you’re one of those people that hoards a lot of stuff under your office desk, you’re now going to have to tidy up your act.  This in itself is a good thing, as we are always being told to de-clutter our lives and getting rid of unnecessary paper will again create space.  It will also make work more pleasurable, as you have now become more organised.

So, the place looks bigger, brighter and inviting.  The next step is to get that office chair right.  Right for you, as you’re the one who is going to be sitting in it.  It’s not only the seat pad that is important, although sitting on something soft is better than something that has no flexibility.  You want that best office chair to be supporting you in all the right places.  The lower back of the chair matches your lower back: it’s giving support and taking some of the weight of your upper body off your own frame.  Its adjustable arm rests, its swivel action and its seat pad height mechanism make sitting a more natural action, rather than an expected pose.  While all of this happening, your body is relaxing and encouraging your thoughts to be in the same frame of mind.

For many of us, even the journey to work can be stressful, so the last thing you want is to carry this edginess through the day.  Getting that ergonomic office right for you will reflect itself in the quality of your work and the quantity and that can’t be a bad thing, can it?

Ergohuman Elite Mesh Office Chair
Ergohuman Elite Mesh Office Chair