All posts by office chair specialist

Ergohuman

October 8, 2012 office chair specialist

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.

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

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 Elite Mesh Office Chair with Leg Rest

Ergonomic Office Chairs

The Ergonomic Office

October 2, 2012 office chair specialist

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?

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.

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, Office Chairs

Computer Desks

December 20, 2011 office chair specialist

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.

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.

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 from Simply Ergonomic

Ergonomic Office Chairs

Ergohuman Chairs

November 29, 2011 office chair specialist

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

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 Plus Luxury Leather Office Chair Colours

Find out more at Ergohuman.net

Home Office Furniture, Office Chairs

Is your Office Inviting

November 19, 2011 office chair specialist

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.

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?

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