What is an Ergonomic Chair?
Whether it’s sitting in your living room watching the next episode of your favorite show (yes, Netflix, we’re still watching…), sitting at your office desk for work, or curling up in your very own little reading nook, chances are you spend more of your day sitting down than you realize. The fact is we spend a lot of time sitting.
Over time, that sitting takes its toll on our bodies. Normal chairs concentrate pressure on the spine and pelvic regions. Have you ever stood up and felt pain from sitting too long? Or been uncomfortable while sitting because of lower back pain? That’s where an ergonomic chair comes to the rescue.
What is an ergonomic chair, you ask? We’ve got the answer!
What Does ‘Ergonomic Chair’ Mean?
The term ergonomics refers to the study of human beings in their working environment. It’s a discipline that looks at how tasks or objects like zero gravity chairs and home office chairs can be designed or arranged to compliment natural human movement and interaction. This i
For example, a zero gravity chair is an ergonomic recliner chair with lumbar support that will help maintain the natural curvature of the spine while evenly distributing weight along the entire body.
What Makes the Best Ergonomic Chair?
So then what makes a chair ergonomic? The best ergonomic chair is one that focuses on four key areas:
- Providing health benefits to your body
- Improving posture while sitting
- Comfort of the chair
- Support for different key areas of the body
Health Benefits of the Best Ergonomic Chairs
When figuring out how to choose an ergonomic chair make sure you pick one that helps improve your overall health naturally. This is arguably the most important focus of an ergonomic chair. Some chairs excel at this better than others.
The health benefits of a zero gravity chair make it a perfect ergonomic recliner chair for your home or office.The zero gravity position helps alleviate lower back pain, improve blood circulation throughout the body, and enhance bodily healing. Better circulation works to improve heart health naturally and helps deliver key nutrients and oxygen to all bodily systems.
Better Posture in an Ergonomic Chair
The best ergonomic chairs will also provide support to improve posture while sitting. Poor posture is one of the most common bad sitting habits that affect your body long term. An ergonomic chair—whether we’re talking about a traditional office chair or zero gravity recliner—will help maintain the natural curvature of your spine, a source of chronic back pain and other potentially dangerous conditions like adult kyphosis.
Choosing the Most Comfortable Ergonomic Chair
We can’t talk about ergonomic chairs without discussing comfort, right? From the traditional office chair to an ergonomic recliner chair, if it’s not comfortable then it’s not the right one for you!
While your first instinct might be to think this means finding a chair you sink into fully but that’s not the case. If you’re looking at ergonomic recliner chairs, find one that is soft and comfortable but still sturdy and full of support. Contrary to what you might’ve thought, sinking into a chair too far can weaken the abdominal muscles and contribute to back pain. That’s the opposite of what we want!
Here is where zero gravity recliners shine once more. Their comfortability, posture support, and zero gravity health benefits for all ages make them ideal ergonomic chair additions to any room in the house.
Using Ergonomic Chairs for Supporting Key Areas of the Body
One of the most common places for an ergonomic recliner chair or office chair is in the workspace. The COVID-19 pandemic has adjusted many of our work lives and changed work from home setups very quickly. Regardless, however, of whether you’re adding it to a home office or choosing chairs for your living room, the best ergonomic chairs will also provide support to crucial areas of the body beyond just the spine.
As part of your home office setup a traditional ergonomic office chair should adjust to optimal height. This means your feet are able to be flat on the ground making a right angle at the knees and your arms. Being at this height not only prevents you from subconsciously leaning forward, resulting in poor posture, but also allows blood to circulate properly to your legs.
Adjusting your chair so that your screen is at eye level also helps support your neck better. It keeps you from hunching over or lowering your neck, which can cause stiffness and pain. The best ergonomic chair will have a tall back with head support for your bodily health and personal comfort.
If you’re using a zero gravity chair as an ergonomic recliner chair, you’ll have full support from head to toe!
As you’ve learned, ergonomics refers to the design of different items for optimal human interaction. They should focus on the four key areas of health benefits, proper posture, comfort, and bodily support. Now that you know more about what an ergonomic chair is, you won’t have any trouble picking out an office chair or choosing a zero gravity recliner to meet your needs!
Zero gravity chairs offer more than just an ergonomic approach to seating. Learn how they help with muscle tension and the long term impacts of stress on your body.
