Three Posture-Related Factors To Consider When Buying Office Chairs For Your Staff
In you're in charge of researching and purchasing office supplies for your workplace, one decision you'll eventually encounter is choosing the right office chairs for the employees. This process can be a balancing act as you weigh factors such as budget, style and functionality. Regardless of the look you're trying to accomplish, it's of paramount importance that the chairs are comfortable and promote proper posture; after all, this is where many people will spend about eight hours per day. Using the correct posture can keep the workforce healthy and productive. Before you sign off on any specific style of chair, consider these three posture-related necessities.
Adjustable Seat Height
Chairs that allow the user to raise and lower the seat are valuable in allowing correct posture. Although some people might specifically view proper posture are being solely related to sitting with a straight back, the lower body provides the foundation of posture. People should be able to adjust the height of their seat to sit with their knees bent at about 90 degrees when their feet are placed flat on the floor. This leg position essentially keeps the knees in a natural position that isn't hyper-extended or locked too tightly.
Adjustable Arms
Armrests on a chair are optimal for comfort, but this valuable addition to your office furniture is about more than just keeping comfy. The ability to lower or raise the armrests allows the user to ensure that his or her arms are bent at an optimal angle of between 75 and 90 degrees. Having the arms resting in this position ensures that the user's shoulders are relaxed. If a person uses a chair in which the armrests aren't adjustable, he or she might be contending with armrests that are too high or too low. As such, the person can develop tight, sore shoulders over time that could even lead to injuries that might keep the person away from work.
Lumbar Support
The ideal office chair should have a knob that allows the user to adjust the level of lumbar support. While part of proper posture involves sitting with the buttocks and the low back pressed against the chair's back support, the user's spine won't be in its proper curve unless he or she can adjust the lumbar support to suit. Moving the lumbar support in or out is essential to the health of the user; if the chair doesn't have this feature, the user's back muscles will have to constantly work to achieve the proper spinal curve, which can lead to muscle fatigue and back pain.