A Good Ergonomic Chair

True comfort, though, starts with the chair. A typical employee will sit for about six hours or more in the chair, so it’s important that she or he be able to adjust the height and move it so that access to the work area doesn’t require a straining reach.

The so-called “popliteal” height is considered the goal of chair height. This is defined as the height from the floor to the employee’s crease behind the knee. The foot sole should be able to rest on the floor (or a footrest, if the person is short), and the back of the knee should be just a tad higher than the seat of the chair, permitting good blood flow in the legs.

Any armrests on the chair should support the lower arms but should not interfere with the chair’s position in relation to the workstation. In other words, make sure the chair isn’t blocking the access to the keyboard, causing the employee to sit in a strange position and potentially causing strain. The upper arms should remain close to the body. Of course, the armrests should be padded and not have sharp edges. Backrests on the chair should support the entire back, including the all-important lower back. This should permit comfortable postures that can be adjusted to suit and not be locked into place.

The seats should be able to be adjusted to suit the employee height and have a way so that the seat can be changed, either with a knob or by shifting weight. The seat should be comfortably padded and have what’s known as a waterfall edge, which gently curves into the floor. Obviously, in this age of obesity, make sure the chair is wide enough to support differing hip sizes.

Finally, make sure the chair has a strong base and casters that allow easy movement of the chair. It should be sturdy and the chair should not be easily rocked.