We use furniture in our daily lives for various purposes. There is a variety of furniture available in our home or office. From beds to chairs, they are an essential part of our life. However, people who sit all day need comfortable chairs. Normal chairs are okay until you develop some sort of body pains. The long sitting hours require comfortable sitting. It is common for people to develop back and neck pain from sitting on a chair that does not come with proper support. Ergonomic office chairs have become popular because they provide comfort and support. They have become a must-have in the home or office. They help the body relax when a person has to sit in the sitting position for a long time.
Difference between Ergonomic Chair and Normal Chair
The best interior designers in Chennai would recommend the type of chair needed for your home, depending on the usage. We have listed down a few factors that you could consider while differentiating ergonomics with office chairs.
Seat Height
One obvious drawback in the normal chair is the lack of seat height availability. However, an ergonomic chair is usually adjusted with a pneumatic adjustment lever. There are ergonomic chairs that are designed for short people. However, the usual seat height ranges from 16 to 21 inches off the floor. The chair with seat height features lets the user place the feet flat on the floor.
Seat Width and Depth
Most people would fit in either ergonomic or normal chairs. The standard chair has the measurement of seat width and depth right for an average person. However, manufacturers these days offer chairs in three sizes that a person could buy depending on their height. With ergonomic office chairs, the user could tilt the seat forward or backwards as per their proper posture.
Lumbar Support
Both the normal and ergonomic chairs have lumbar support, but there is a space for adjustment with an ergonomic chair. It helps with less back pain from sitting for a long time. The chair comes with a lumbar spine that curves inward and leans against the kind of support needed to recline. This problem is resolved with an ergonomic chair as the chair comes with lumbar support in both depth and height. It provides a proper fit to the user’s back.
Backrest
The width of the chair’s backrest is between 12 to 19 inches, but the normal chair has the right measurement for its backrest. The ergonomic office chairs provide adjustment with comfort and proper support. It has a backrest separate from the seat that usually allows for angle and height adjustment of the backrest. This leads to the seat forming one piece so that users can lean back and forward comfortably. With this kind of adjustment, the ergonomic chair has a locking mechanism that secures it from going too far backwards.
Seat Material
Both the ergonomic and normal chair comes with padding. However, the ergonomics have padding in both the seat and the backrest to provide a comfortable sitting experience. When the user sits in the chair for a long time, the ergonomic chair seems more comfortable. Also, the ergonomic chair comes with comfortable cloth fabric.
Armrest
The armrest in ergonomic chairs is designed to allow the forearms to be off the armrest when a user is typing. The armrest is fixed with a normal chair, but in ergonomic chairs, the armrest is adjustable. This gives arms to be rested comfortably with shoulders relaxed.
Swivel
The ergonomic office chair has the swivel feature, which means users can move around the office conveniently. Although these days normal chairs also have the swivel feature.
Health Benefits of Ergonomic Chairs
There are various health benefits of ergonomic chairs, which might be why they have become part of modular office furniture in Chennai.
Let’s have a look:
- The ergonomic chair considers the problem of posture. However, you might have seen that traditional chairs are why people have incorrect posture when sitting at their desks. It comes with all the necessary features to support the posture while sitting. Moreover, you can adjust the height to sit with your feet flat on the floor, knees at an angle of 90 degrees to the floor and parallel to the hips. The correction improves the posture.
- The ergonomic chairs are more comfortable than the normal chair because they are user-friendly. One can adjust all the features individually to fit the needs until they are totally comfortable.
- Without neck support, you might develop stiffness in the neck and shoulder region. This might lead to cervical complications. Ergonomic chairs have a headrest that supports your head and neck even when you want to stretch out. This is especially a good feature for people who spend more time answering phone calls.
- Ergonomic chairs have a backrest that supports the natural curve in your spine. They are high enough to support the entire back. There are a few ergonomic chairs that come with a reclining feature.
- Normal chairs have a hard surface. Thus, the seat puts extra pressure on the hip region when you sit. In contrast, the ergonomic chair comes with good seat depth and supports hips and buttocks.
- Everything in the ergonomic chairs is adjustable as per the activities at your work desk. It has swivel features that help users to move around the office.
Bottom Line
A comfortable chair is a solution to work-health problems. It comes with multiple features to support your back and helps in improving the sitting posture. If you have to choose from the ergonomic and normal chairs, ergonomic is the best choice.