Knowing how to choose an ergonomic computer chair is very important and the benefits of such a chair cannot be overestimated. You might sit all day in front of your computer, or only for short periods, but you still have to look after your posture, muscles and tendons or you will find yourself with problems. Not immediately, but they will come, and when they do you will wish you had opted for a more ergonomic chair than you have now.

As computers become increasingly more popular, we are tending to spend increasingly more time sitting in front of them! That’s no surprise to you, but what might be a surprise are the consequences of not having the right type of chair to sit on. Comfy and cozy doesn’t come into it – you need to choose an ergonomic computer chair that gives support to your back and prevents you from sitting hunched up or overstretching.

Here are a few tips on how to choose an ergonomic computer chair properly, so that you give yourself the least chance of developing back pain:

Seat Height
The height should be adjustable, preferably using a pneumatic lever since then you can adjust it to the optimum height while sitting on it. The ideal height is when your feet are flat on the floor without stretching and your thighs are horizontal. If the seat has arms, these should lie even with the height of the keyboard.

Seat Width and Depth
The width of the seat should fit you without squeezing, and the depth should be enough so that your back rests against the back of the chair and the back of your knees are away from its edge. There is nothing more annoying than sitting with the front of the chair chaffing the back of your legs. The back should be tiltable, but at the least should be straight up and not permanently tilted.

Back Support
The support offered to your back is very important in an ergonomic chair. The part of your back that is most associated with pain when you are not sitting properly is the lumbar region, from just below your ribs down to the coccyx. This part of your spine curves inward, and if it is not properly supported while you are sitting it tends to be forced into a straight position that causes a great deal of pain. An ergonomic computer chair should have an adjustable lumbar support than you can adjust to suit the natural angle of your spine.

The back should also be adjustable up and down – it makes sense, because if your seat is adjustable the back should also be so since not everybody is the same size, and the taller among us will require a greater distance of the back from the seat that smaller people. If it is also adjustable with respect to the angle of the back, then all the better, particularly if the back is separate from the seat.

Arm Support
You should also be able to adjust the arm supports. As you adjust the height of the seat, the arms would otherwise also move up and down, so arm adjustment is essential for a true ergonomic computer chair. Your forearm should be just above the armrest when typing, with your elbows resting on it.

Head Support
Many people don’t like head-rests, but they should be available and adjustable so that you can support your head while typing. This can help prevent neck pain.

Rotation or Swivel
Any good office chair can swivel these days, so that you can reach anywhere on your desk without stretching. Castors may also be an advantage in reaching various parts of your desk, but not so easily moved so that you are continually moving or straining your feet to keep still.

Leather or Fabric?
A leather or vinyl covering for your chair might seem best, but it isn’t really. A fabric that can breathe is better than an impervious surface that causes you to sweat. If you have to use a cushion for comfort, then your computer chair is not set up properly for you.

A lot depends on how much you are prepared to spend, because every adjustment on an ergonomic computer chair can cost a bit more. For example, are you better purchasing a cheap chair that offers all of these or an expensive make that offers only a few? That is a difficult decision to make, but in general you should be fine with a middle-of-the-range model that offers as many of these as you can afford.

When buying the best make, you are also paying for the name, and if you purchase a cheap unknown then it is likely to last just a day over the warranty and then break down, meaning that the adjustments will stop adjusting and the fabric or vinyl will rip. If you must choose, then at least make sure you have height and back adjustment, since these have the greatest impact on preventing back pain.

There are many factors to take into consideration when choosing an ergonomic computer chair, but if you keep all of the above in mind when selecting yours, you should find the computer chair that best conforms to your dimensions and the way you sit when typing or using a keyboard.

Author Bio: Further information on how to choose an ergonomic computer chair is available from Ergonomic Office Furniture where you will also learn how to set up and Adjust your Computer Chair.

Category: Computers and Technology
Keywords: ergonomic computer chair, computer chair, choose an ergonomic computer chair, adjust an office chair